The late Gerry Smith, who passed away in 2024 at the age of 62, was a sergeant with the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) who retired in 2017 after 30 years of service. (Photo via Peterborough County OPP)
The Smith-Ennismore Community Police will be dedicating their Bridgenorth office to the late Gerry Smith during a service on Thursday (October 2).
Smith was a sergeant with the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) who retired in 2017 after 30 years of service. He passed away suddenly at Campbellford Memorial Hospital on April 5, 2024 at the age of 62.
According to a media release from the Peterborough County OPP, Smith was a “huge supporter” of the OPP Auxiliary Program, Cops for Cancer / Pedal for Hope, and the Community Policing Program. In March, the Peterborough County OPP and Smith’s wife Julia presented the inaugural Auxiliary Award for Professionalism & Leadership, dedicated to Smith’s memory, to Auxiliary Steve Vance.
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Thursday’s short dedication service begins at 11:30 a.m. in the front parking area of the Community Police Office at 826 Ward Street in Bridgenorth.
The outdoor service will include comments from Selwyn Township mayor Sherry Senis, Peterborough County OPP Detachment Commander Chris Galeazza, along with Smith’s family and friends. The public is welcome to attend.
Established in 1992, Smith-Ennismore Community Policing is a volunteer-staffed Community Policing Office that works with the Peterborough County OPP and the township with respect to policing matters in the wards of Smith and Ennismore in Selwyn Township.
Joel Wiebe (middle) receiving the James Gordon Carnegie Memorial Award from the Ontario Chamber of Commerce in April 2025. After almost five years with the Peterborough and Kawarthas Chamber of Commerce, including the past three as vice president of government relations and operations, Wiebe is leaving the chamber on October 3, 2025 to take on the role of senior advisor, community relations with Alto, Canada's first high-speed railway, which is currently under development. (Photo: Ontario Chamber of Commerce)
After almost five years, Joel Wiebe is leaving the Peterborough and Kawarthas Chamber of Commerce to take a senior position with the Alto high-speed rail project that will connect Toronto to Quebec City with a stop in Peterborough.
Chamber president and CEO Brenda Whitehead, who joined the chamber this past July, announced Wiebe’s imminent departure in an email to members on Wednesday (October 1). His last day in the office will be Friday.
“During his time at the Chamber, Joel has been a passionate advocate for local businesses at the municipal, provincial, and federal levels,” Whitehead writes. “He has worked tirelessly to ensure the voices of our members are heard on issues that matter deeply to our community. His efforts have strengthened the chamber’s role as a trusted voice of business throughout the region.”
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Wiebe joined the chamber in 2021 as government relations coordinator and has been the chamber’s vice president of government relations and operations for the past three years. At the Ontario Chamber of Commerce’s annual general meeting and convention in April, he received the James Gordon Carnegie Memorial Award that recognizes individuals for their mentorship, integrity, leadership, and impact within the chamber and their local communities.
“It has been a true honour to serve the local business community through the chamber,” Wiebe said according to Whitehead. “Working alongside such engaged members, colleagues, and partners has been deeply rewarding. While I will miss my role here, I am excited to continue advocating for our region through a project that will strengthen our community and open new opportunities.”
Wiebe has accepted the position of senior advisor, community relations with Alto, Canada’s first high-speed railway, that will span around 1,000 km from Toronto to Québec City with stops in Peterborough, Ottawa, Montréal, Laval, and Trois-Rivières. Trains will reach speeds of up to 300 kilometres per hour to cut travel times in half and connect close to half of Canada’s population.
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On September 11, Prime Minister Mark Carney announced five nation-building projects that he was referring to the new Major Projects Office (MPO), which will work to fast-track the projects by streamlining regulatory assessment and approvals and helping to structure financing, in close partnership with provinces, territories, Indigenous Peoples, and private investors. At the same time, he announced five early-stage projects that, with further development, could also be considered by the MPO — the Alto High-Speed Rail project among them.
“The MPO will work to accelerate engineering, regulatory, and permitting work to enable construction of the project to start in four years, cutting the original eight-year timeline in half,” stated a media release from the Prime Minister’s office.
In February, former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced the consortium that had been selected to develop the project and confirmed $3.9 billion in federal funding for the project over six years. Called Cadence, the consortium is an alliance of Canadian and international private partners including CPDQ Infra, AtkinsRéalis, SYSTRA Canada, Keolis Canada, Air Canada, and SNCF Voyageurs.
Cadence will co-develop the project with Alto, formerly known as VIA HFR, which is a Crown corporation formed in 2022 to oversee the high-speed rail project. Alto, which means “high” in Italian, will also be the official name of the high-speed rail service.
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In February, the Peterborough and Kawarthas Chamber of Commerce welcomed the announcement.
Former chamber president and CEO Stuart Harrison, a long-time advocate of bringing passenger rail service back to Peterborough, was involved in the non-profit Shining Waters Railway corporation, which produced a 2011 study that inspired VIA Rail’s initial plan to build a new high-frequency rail line from Quebec City to Toronto
Since then, the chamber has been working with VIA Rail, VIA HFR, and now Alto to develop the business case for the rail line.
“Having Peterborough as a major stop on this rail project is a win for the tireless advocacy work of the chamber,” Wiebe said in February.
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As for Wiebe’s departure from the chamber to work with Alto, Whitehead said “we are fortunate to have him as a connection throughout the development of this project.”
“While we are sad to see him go, we are thrilled that he will continue to champion our region in this new role and know he will do well for all of us,” she added.
Before he joined the chamber, Wiebe was communications manager with the Peterborough Downtown Business Improvement Area. A Loyalist College journalism graduate, Wiebe was also previously a reporter with Peterborough This Week.
Whitehead is inviting chamber members to give Wiebe a send-off at the “Chamber AM” networking event from 8 to 9 a.m. on Tuesday, October 14 at Wild Rock Outfitters in downtown Peterborough.
The Peterborough Downtown Business Improvement Area (DBIA) is bringing back the family-friendly "Halloween in the Booro" to downtown Peterborough on October 25, 2025 for its fourth straight year. New this year, several businesses in East City will also be participating. (Photo courtesy of Peterborough DBIA)
With the arrival of October and spooky season, the Peterborough Downtown Business Improvement Area (DBIA) is going to help kids of all ages celebrate Halloween for the fourth straight year by hosting the family-friendly “Halloween in the Booro” celebration in the downtown core and, new this year, in East City.
Running from 4 to 6 p.m. on Saturday, October 25, the free event features spook-tacular family fun including trick-or-treating at more than 45 businesses in the downtown and East City, whimsical costumed characters stationed along George Street and surrounding blocks, and a family fun zone with a Halloween-themed photobooth and costume contests for kids, adults, and pets.
As well as bringing the community together to celebrate the year’s sweetest day in downtown Peterborough (which the DBIA has branded “The Boro”), Halloween in the Booro shines a spotlight on the locally owned, independent businesses that make The Boro a special and unique destination.
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By drawing hundreds of families to the core, the event creates opportunities for residents to discover local businesses, increases evening foot traffic, and supports the small business community that is central to Peterborough’s economy.
“Halloween in the Booro is one of our favourite events,” says DBIA executive director Nour Mazloum in a media release.
“It brings local families and merchants together for a safe, welcoming night of family-friendly fun that highlights everything we love about our downtown. It makes our city feel like home and creates the kinds of memories that keep people returning to the downtown as a destination for their family to enjoy unique activities.”
“Halloween in the Booro” in downtown Peterborough on October 25, 2025 is for kids of all ages. This year’s event will feature a fun Halloween-themed photobooth and costume contests for kids, adults, and pets. (Photo courtesy of Peterborough DBIA)
Participating businesses like the Boardwalk Game Lounge at 261 George Street North will be decorating their storefronts and handing out Halloween treats.
“We’ve loved seeing how Halloween in the Booro has continued to grow each year, bringing more families downtown and shining a light on local businesses,” says co-owner Dylan Reinhart.
“It’s become a tradition for many, and events like this are a great reminder of how vibrant and welcoming our downtown really is.”
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Halloween in the Booro is free for everyone to attend, and the Peterborough DBIA encourages families — locals and visitors alike — to come downtown and join the celebration.
To keep up to date on Halloween in the Booro and other DBIA events, visit theboro.ca and follow The Boro on Instagram and Facebook.
During “Halloween in the Booro” in downtown Peterborough on October 25, 2025, whimsical costumed characters will be stationed along George Street and surrounding blocks to greet trick-or-treaters. (Photo courtesy of Peterborough DBIA)
Jodi-Lee Nutrition & Wellness was founded after Buckhorn resident Jodi Forestell found herself feeling unwell and groggy in her mid-forties. She found healing through a holistic lifestyle focused on the pillars of nutrition, exercise, stress, and sleep and now supports other clients feel like themselves again as a Natural Nutritionist Clinical Practitioner, Metabolic Balance Coach, and Forest Therapy Guide. Through her practice, she recommends many local businesses who align with her holistic wellness approach. (Photo courtesy of Jodi Forestell)
Through her small business, certified holistic nutritionist and forest therapy guide Jodi Forestell is not only helping locals across The Kawarthas build healthy lifestyles, but she is building healthy communities.
Residing in Buckhorn in the Municipality of Trent Lakes, one of eight townships in Peterborough County, Forestell began her online business Jodi-Lee Nutrition & Wellness after she found herself dealing with anxiety and feeling unwell in her mid-forties.
After finding healing through holistic solutions, she wanted to share her discoveries with others and became a Natural Nutritionist Clinical Practitioner, Metabolic Balance Coach, and Forest Therapy Guide. By focusing on four main pillars of health (stress, sleep, nutrition, and exercise), Forestell helps individuals who struggle with a lack of energy, weight gain, brain fog, and stress to get them back to feeling like themselves again.
Through her six-month Metabolic Balance program, Forestell creates a customized nutrition plan based on a client’s lab test results and lifestyle and provides them with accountability. She is also updating the Nourish & Thrive Formula she designed to help women nourish their bodies and reduce symptoms of menopause through stress management, sleep, gut health, movement, and nutrition. The improved eight-week group course will be launching in 2026 and Forestell is currently searching for test group participants.
“I really want women to understand that, yes, nutrition plays a major role in their well-being,” she says. “But I also want them to understand that those other three pillars — sleep, stress, and movement — can have a major impact on their health.”
In addition to leading nutrition workshops for local businesses, Jodi Forestell donates her time by leading forest bathing walks for local organizations including Kawartha Land Trust, Peterborough Hospice, and the YES Shelter for Youth and Families. (Photo courtesy of Jodi Forestell
To support her practice and help clients feel like their best selves, Forestell often recommends local businesses that align with her own work and values. Some of these businesses include holistic health practitioner and menstrual cycle guide Heather Litster of Peterborough’s Moon & Bloom, Gravity Pilates Studio in Peterborough, and naturopath Dr. Meaghan McLaren. To gather ingredients and vitamins for the nutrition plans, Forestell supports regional farms like Davis Orchards in Douro-Dummer as well as Jo Anne’s Place Health Foods in Peterborough and Lindsay.
Earlier this year, Jodi-Lee Nutrition & Wellness was the nutrition support for a challenge being done at F45 Training PTBO Central. She has also hosted nutrition workshops for the gym’s clients, as well as for the Peterborough Regional Health Centre and for students at Fleming College through the Peterborough Sports and Wellness Centre.
To further contribute to making healthy communities, Forestell donates her time as a forest therapy guide to various organizations. She regularly leads walks with Hospice Peterborough and will soon be hosting some for the clients at the YES Shelter for Youth and Families as well as the Kawartha Land Trust. Further giving back to her community, Forestell is a member of the Women’s Business Network and 100 Women Peterborough.
The Local Advantage in Peterborough County is a branded editorial feature series about locally owned independent businesses in Peterborough County, created in partnership with Peterborough County’s Economic Development & Tourism Division.
As part of its response to the impact of U.S. tariffs, Peterborough County is showcasing the many unique businesses located in the county, both by sharing their stories of success and how they support both residents and other businesses in their communities.
Whether by shopping at local businesses, dining at local restaurants, staying at local accommodation, or enjoying local experiences, residents and visitors can enhance the economic resilience of Peterborough County during these challenging times and help establish a sustainable foundation for the future.
For more information about economic development and tourism in Peterborough County, visit www.ptbocounty.ca/ecdev and The Kawarthas Tourism at thekawarthas.ca.
Peterborough County Warden Bonnie Clark with Peterborough and Kawarthas Chamber of Commerce president and CEO Brenda Whitehead, both wearing orange shirts in recognition of National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, during the second annual Warden's Breakfast in the Peterborough County Agricultural Heritage Building at Keene's Lang Pioneer Village Museum on September 30, 2025. (Photo: Jeannine Taylor / kawarthaNOW
Peterborough County Warden Bonnie Clark provided the equivalent of a state-of-the-union address Tuesday morning (September 30) before a gathering of economic development, business, and community leaders.
The second annual Warden’s Breakfast, sponsored by Enbridge in partnership with the county, was held in the McCloskey International Great Hall in the Peterborough County Agricultural Heritage Building at Keene’s Lang Pioneer Village Museum.
Hosted by the Peterborough and Kawarthas Chamber of Commerce, the main event saw Warden Clark, who is also the current chair of the Eastern Ontario Wardens’ Caucus, field questions posed by chamber president and CEO Brenda Whitehead.
During their 40-minute interaction, the warden shared her thoughts on a number on a number of challenges and issues as they pertain to the county proper, as well as its eight municipalities.
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Back in April 2024, during the inaugural Warden’s Breakfast, the then-pending dissolution of Peterborough and the Kawarthas Economic Development, which provided services to the county, was on the mind of many in the audience who wondered just the county would pivot to provide those services.
On Tuesday, Warden Clark noted the county has since “looked at economic development in a couple of different ways, and has picked priorities.”
“The first one is agriculture. We’ve looked at how we can support, how we can expand, whether it’s food hubs, the overall volume of what is being produced, looking at institutional, looking at restaurants, that kind of thing. Also looking at the agritourism business. It is global and certainly something I think we can expand.”
“Around businesses, our philosophy is to support the businesses we have, first and foremost. It has been hard with the tariffs and going through COVID, and they are a priority. We have a website around economic development that you can follow and reach out for support there. But, in saying that, I don’t think we’re ever going to have a mega manufacturing sector when you look at the lay of the land.”
Economic development, business, and community leaders gathered in the Peterborough County Agricultural Heritage Building at Keene’s Lang Pioneer Village Museum on the morning of September 30, 2025 for the second annual Warden’s Breakfast featuring Peterborough County Warden Bonnie Clark. (Photo: Jeannine Taylor / kawarthaNOW)
Key, said Warden Clark, is investment in transportation corridors “to make sure the county is connected.”
“We’re going to need hydro. We’re going to need natural gas. We have to look at our infrastructure. Our water and wastewater — we need a huge investment in that. Hopefully the province steps forward again. We know that Selwyn needs an upgrade of its water system. Cavan-Monaghan got a nice start, but water systems cost a lot. We need a lot of investment, so we’ll be lobbying the (provincial) government hard.”
“But when you get growth, you also get the social side — the need to be able to have young families be able to work. We have a huge waiting list for daycare. There are so many spin-offs involving growth that we have to be very cognizant of and invest wisely.”
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Warden Clark also touched on the creation of employment lands: property that already has infrastructure in place to accommodate businesses looking to locate here.
“The county is working with the city (of Peterborough). We’ve always been at the table talking about that. But in saying that, we’re doing our own employment land survey, looking at what we have here in the county. We know there’s a lot of interest in Cavan-Monaghan. There are also opportunities on the Chemong Road commercial corridor. But you do need water and waste (systems) capacity. It takes a long time to put that into the ground.”
“But we are looking at standing on our own two feet, developing our own lands. We can’t wait until that survey is completed because, with the growth plan the province has put out, there are opportunities.”
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When the discussion turned to the formation and adoption of a new official plan for the county, Warden Clark expressed some frustration over the delay in that process.
“I can’t tell you what the hold-up is, but I can tell you what the hold-up isn’t and that’s the county,” she said, drawing laughter and hearty applause.
“It was rush, rush, rush to get our official plan done by June of 2022 and we met that deadline, then the province changed it to the provincial planning statement,” she said, referring to the Ontario government’s October 2024 province-wide land use planning policy framework, intended to provide municipalities with the tools and flexibility to build more homes through their official plans.
“That made changes to our official plan. If we had adopted (our official plan), it would have been redundant. We went to the (provincial) minister (Paul Calandra) and asked ‘Do we really have to do this whole thing all over? Can’t we take some sections out?'”
As Peterborough and Kawarthas Chamber of Commerce president and CEO Brenda Whitehead looks on, Peterborough County Warden Bonnie Clark addresses the audience during the second annual Warden’s Breakfast in the Peterborough County Agricultural Heritage Building at Keene’s Lang Pioneer Village Museum on September 30, 2025. (Photo: Jeannine Taylor / kawarthaNOW)
Minister Calandra, says Warden Clark, subsequently approved what is termed a “red line approach” — a process which facilitates the revision of some sections as opposed to a wholesale start-to-finish revision of the entire plan.
“In saying that, our planning department has been working day and night. We had to have public consultations yet again. That takes time. Now we are hopeful — I’m being very optimistic — that by January 2026 it does go through. We are assured it is on the (minister’s) desk. It’s not on the bottom of the pile. It’s on the top. Our red line entries have been accepted.”
Meanwhile, with curbside blue box pickup set to end come January 1st for businesses, institutions, and service points, Warden Clark said the county has lobbied the province hard on that pending change.
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“One of the things the province has moved on is multi-residential units — they were going to not pick up recyclables from those. The other thing we’re pushing strong on, especially for rural Ontario, is the fact that recycling (collection companies) can’t pick up from businesses and residences with the same vehicle, which is asinine. You talk about a carbon footprint.”
“Each municipality in the county, as well as the county, has written letters (to the province). We’ve weighed in when there has been calls from the province around our position on this. We will keep pushing. We know that every landfill in Ontario has less than a decade of life. This is just filling those landfills. This is not what we want and we will not move on that (position).”
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Other talking points centred around family physician recruitment efforts and increasing tourism to Peterborough County. The latter saw Warden Clark give a shout-out to kawarthaNOW for “a great partnership” which to date has seen the digital media platform publish 23 of 25 “The Local Advantage” stories promoting county businesses and attractions.
As for the county’s ongoing relationship with the City of Peterborough, the ever-optimistic warden refuted any perception the county and city are working less closely together to the detriment of the region. Quite the opposite, she said.
“County council has a very good relationship with city council. We work closely on physician recruitment. There’s the summer job fair for students that the city and the county hosted. We do many things together. I’m thinking of social services, the paramedics the county takes care of for the city and the county, and our waste management. We’re both looking at employment lands. The press (media) likes drama, but there are things happening behind the scenes that people don’t see.”
Eastern Ontario Regional Network (EORN) CEO Jason St. Pierre took to the podium during the second annual Warden’s Breakfast in the Peterborough County Agricultural Heritage Building at Keene’s Lang Pioneer Village Museum on September 30, 2025 to share progress made on improving cell and internet service in rural eastern Ontario. (Photo: Jeannine Taylor / kawarthaNOW)
Prior to Warden Clark’s time on stage, Jason St. Pierre, the CEO of the Eastern Ontario Regional Network (EORN), took to the podium to share progress made in terms of a challenge that has faced rural Ontario for years in the form of cell and internet service connectivity issues.
“There were large gaps across Eastern Ontario and there was no plan to try and close those gaps,” he said.
“The EOWC (Eastern Ontario Wardens’ Caucus) reached to the EORN and tasked us to begin doing the work; doing analysis and creating a business plan. In 2020, the provincial government agreed to the plan and supported that.”
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The goal, said St. Pierre, is 99 per cent coverage in Eastern Ontario, including Peterborough County, for people to make and receive voice calls. In addition, 95 per cent of people will be able to receive standard definition services — web browsing, email, online banking, social media access — where they “work, live, and travel.” In addition, 85 per cent of people will receive high-definition coverage, which allows for video conferencing, Zoom calls, streaming and other “intensive applications.”
But such extension of services doesn’t come cheap — addressing the Eastern Ontario cell gap project alone estimated to cost $300 million. The federal and provincial governments are investing $71 million each, with another $10 million coming from the EWOC and the Eastern Ontario Mayors’ Caucus, along with $681,000 from Peterborough County and $564,000 from the City of Peterborough. Rogers, meanwhile, is making a minimum investment of $150 million.
“Broadband networks are no longer a distant promise — they are here, and they’re transforming how we live, work, and connect,” said St. Pierre.
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Following the event, Warden Clark told kawarthaNOW that gatherings like this allow her “the opportunity to let people know what we’re working on, and that we’re here to receive input. We’re here as vessels to listen to who we serve, and that is our constituents. We need to hear from them.”
“As a county, we’re creatures of the province. We talked about recycling and how we’re not happy with the way that’s being handled. Tariffs are certainly affecting our businesses, so we’re cognizant of that and how we can support our businesses.”
Over the next year — Clark’s last year in the role of warden — “a laundry list” of issues, both ongoing and new, will require debate and action.
“I feel we have pushed the ball forward and have momentum. I feel we’re gaining. We’re gaining for everyone, for our communities, and that’s fulfilling.”
At the end of the Warden’s Breakfast, Lifloc Holsteins (Thom and Krista Murray and family) was recognized as the 2025 Peterborough County Farm Family of the Year. The annual award is sponsored by the Peterborough County Federation of Agriculture and the Peterborough and Kawarthas Chamber of Commerce.
Lifloc Holsteins (Thom and Krista Murray and family) was recognized as the 2025 Peterborough County Farm Family of the Year during the second annual Warden’s Breakfast in the Peterborough County Agricultural Heritage Building at Keene’s Lang Pioneer Village Museum on September 30, 2025. The annual award is sponsored by the Peterborough County Federation of Agriculture and the Peterborough and Kawarthas Chamber of Commerce. (Photo: Jeannine Taylor / kawarthaNOW)
Three of the 150 women who participated in the 2024 She Owns It Women's Entrepreneurship Conference. Presented once again by the Business & Entrepreneurship Centre Northumberland (BECN), the third annual event takes place on November 6, 2025 at the Best Western Plus Cobourg Inn & Convention Centre. (Photo: BECN)
With scores of successful female entrepreneurs in the area, women in Northumberland County and beyond are proving they “own it.”
The Business & Entrepreneurship Centre Northumberland (BECN) is inviting women to come together for the third annual entrepreneurship conference, “She Owns It,” taking place on Thursday, November 6 in Cobourg.
“As we head into our third year of the in-person She Owns It conference, our biggest hope is to truly reflect the voices of our past attendees,” BECN business development coordinator Kailyn Coupland told kawarthaNOW. “We’ve listened closely to their feedback, and this year we’re shaking things up to make the event even more engaging, inspiring, and practical.”
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“Each year, we’re proud to welcome women entrepreneurs from across southeastern Ontario, from Toronto to Kawartha Lakes to Prince Edward County, and connect them with a day that blends motivation, education, and meaningful interaction,” Coupland said. “This year’s program balances both local talent and international perspective: a powerful keynote, an authentic business panel, and hands-on workshops designed so attendees can walk away with strategies they can apply immediately in their own businesses.”
Designed to empower, inspire, and connect women, “She Owns It” has welcomed more than 150 attendees from the county and elsewhere each year since its launch.
“This growing reach underscores the scale and excitement of the event, which has quickly become a must-attend gathering for women in business across the region,” the BECN noted in a media release.
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This year’s conference, taking place at the Best Western Plus Cobourg Inn & Convention Centre at 930 Burnham Street, is expanding to a full day schedule that boasts a line-up of speakers. The event runs from 10 a.m. to 3:15 p.m., with registration opening at 9:15 a.m.
Keynote speaker Leisse Wilcox, an award-winning speaker, executive coach, and bestselling author, will kick off the day with a session about “how to own the room and leverage your leadership voice, impact, and presence.”
“Backed by neuroscience and delivered with equal parts humour, hard truths, and practical strategies, Leisse will share insights from over 20 years of experience helping leaders cut through mental clutter and lead with courage.”
Following the keynote presentation, four local women in business will share their stories, strategies, and lessons learned during a panel discussion. The panel includes Cobourg-based influencer and content creator Tash Cook, D’s Modern Caribbean chef and owner Dawn Fryer, Sandra Dee’s Consulting for Seniors and Family founder Sandra Dee Hicks, and The GoldenLine Spiritual Studio founder Tiffany Jarvis.
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Mel Hannah from KX 105 in Peterborough is returning as the emcee for the event, which will also include two hands-on workshops and an interactive “Solve Sprint” session designed to spark collaboration, tackle business challenges, and create meaningful connections with other business owners.
The interactive workshops planned for the afternoon include “The Human-First AI Sales Playbook: Five Steps to Win More Customers in Just 15 Minutes” with BriteLite founder and AI educator Claire Bouvier and “Key Ingredients to Transform Your Business, Income & Impact” with author, speaker, television host, and entrepreneur Uchechi Ezurike-Bosse.
The conference is presented in partnership with TD Bank Cobourg and TD Insurance.
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Tickets for the event are limited, and advance registration is required. Tickets are $52 plus tax and can be purchased at northumberland.ca/sheownsit.
The BECN expects attendees will leave with practical tools, expanded networks, and renewed motivation to pursue their entrepreneurial goals.
“Our hope is to sell out once again but, more importantly, to create a day where both first-time participants and returning attendees feel inspired, connected, and supported as part of the She Owns It community,” Coupland concluded.
The BECN is a leading source for business information, strategy, resources, and education for entrepreneurs and small business owners in Northumberland. A service delivered by Northumberland County in partnership with the Province of Ontario, the BECN offers micro grants, free consultations, training, information and resources, and workshops and seminars for community members thinking of starting or expanding a small business in the county.
Warsaw-based consultant Rudy Massimo recently published a memoir titled "Where the Trails Lead: One man's journey of adventure, adversity and leadership." Originally written for his three adult children, the memoir chronicles the outdoor adventures Massimo has taken throughout his life, while weaving in life lessons learned from decades spent in leadership positions and his complicated personal relationships. (Photo courtesy of Rudy Massimo)
According to Warsaw-based consultant Rudy Massimo, watching a kid interact at the skatepark is one of the best ways to identify if they have the potential to grow into a leader or entrepreneur.
That’s one of the many life lessons, leadership insights, and stories of adventures that Massimo shares in his recently published memoir Where the Trails Lead.
Subtitled “One man’s journey of adventure, adversity and leadership,” the memoir explores Massimo’s life from the streets of New York City to the peaks of South America and the outback of the Canadian north. Chronicling his life, it covers stories of adventure, shifting relationships, professional highs and lows, and the people who were there for him every step of the way.
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“It’s become so much more than a memoir,” Massimo says. “Everyone takes something different away from the book.”
As president of Rudy Massimo & Associates, Massimo offer a range of philanthropic, leadership, and educational consulting services. He draws from his own background in leadership positions, including as executive director of Camp Kawartha for a decade, founder of Peak Adventures Inc., CEO of Outward Bound Canada, and a campaign leader for Lakefield College School.
These insights combined with his lifelong pursuit of outdoor adventures many can only dream of — dog sledding in the Yukon, participating in the Boston Marathon, and a year-long adventure climbing mountains to name a few — prompted his three adult children to encourage him to begin writing a book. It was only when his editor suggested his memoir might have a broader audience did he decide to print more than just three copies of it to give to his children.
Throughout his memoir “Where the Trails Lead,” Rudy Massimo tells stories and the life lessons he learned while on many outdoor adventures, including a year spent climbing mountains around the world with his wife and dog sledding in the Yukon. Alongside his stories of adventures, he shares what he learned throughout decades in various leadership positions for businesses, non-profits, and schools. (Photo courtesy of Rudy Massimo)
Given that throughout his life Massimo was also hearing stories about his father’s experience as a post-World War II immigrant from Italy, he always wanted these stories to be documented as well. When Massimo’s father was just a child, he was separated from his family who had been displaced and, years later, sought to begin a new life in North America.
Massimo was inspired to include stories about his father as the opening chapter of Where the Trails Lead, while the final scenes of the book explore his own trip to Italy in 2022 where Massimo visited the collapsing, boarded-up, and war-torn home his father had lived in.
“I wanted to record some of that history from my father, but I also really wanted to trace back to where it all began,” Massimo says. “In each one of these homes, there’s a story. Someone lived in these homes, and I’m telling you my story and I suspect it’s the beginning of other stories to come. It goes full circle from my dad living in this home to having the sense of walking in his steps down these cobbled roads. That’s why it’s called Where the Trails Lead.”
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The memoir explores Massimo’s childhood and teenage years in New York City, the discovery of his passion for sports and outdoor adventures, and the many lessons about death and falling he learned from exploring mountain peaks.
But woven throughout the story of adventure are stories of leadership, and some of the key pieces of advice he passes on to clients now, like the importance of early succession planning.
“I think people wait too long to talk about succession and leadership transitions and often those transitions are not smooth, especially if leaders stay far too long,” he says. “What happens then is their identity is so tied up with their title of CEO that they don’t like the thought that if they leave, they’re nobody — just regular Joe Blow from Idaho walking the streets. Being the head or the principal or executive director gives them purpose.”
Rudy Massimo originally began writing his memoir “Where the Trails Leads” after his adult children wanted him to record the stories of the many outdoor adventure and leadership roles he had had throughout his life. His editor suggested the book may appeal to be broader audience. (Photo courtesy of Rudy Massimo)
“There’s nothing wrong with having a bit of ego,” Massimo notes. “But it’s dangerous when you can’t let go of it and, in fact, it could be detrimental to the organization that you love so deeply.”
In Where the Trails Lead, Massimo goes into more detail about a topic that he often talks and writes about, which is the belief that “there is no better activity in the world to identify (a child’s) potential to be future leaders than skateboarding.”
This, he says, is because there are no referees or whistle-blowers.
“Every single skateboard park is self-directed, so when you see the little guy going in he’s doing one thing and one thing only: he’s observing the culture, he’s observing the court rules for that skatepark,” Massimo says. “And once he’s figured it out, he jumps in and goes. No one cuts in. You have to figure it out as you’re going and that doesn’t happen in any sport.”
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Massimo adds the skateboarding child fails nearly “99 per cent of the time” before finally landing the trick weeks later. He says this resiliency, dedication, and risk-taking is something they carry with them throughout their life.
“That tenacious behaviour is unprecedented,” he points out. “Sometimes they’re mentored by older kids, and when the kid lands the trick, the whole park explodes. It’s like the community celebrates that kid’s achievement because he was resilient, he had grit, he worked through the problem.”
Between these insights, Massimo tells stories of personal relationships, like the Magic Sugar Jaw he used to teach his children about manners and chores, and — the most difficult part of the memoir to write — the collapse of his marriage and reconciliation with his wife six years later.
“Where the Trails Lead” is a memoir written by Rudy Massimo, a leadership consultant who resides in Warsaw. While the memoir explores some of his professional and personal accomplishments, he also does not shy away from exploring his imperfections and the mistakes he has made. The book can be purchased through Massimo, at Happenstance Books & Yarns in Lakefield, or through Amazon. (Images via Amazon)
But through poignant reflection, one thing Massimo does not shy away from in his memoir is admitting to the things he did not get quite right.
“I’ve done some pretty funky things in my lifetime but I’m not perfect and I made a lot of mistakes, and I share those mistakes openly,” he says. “We’re imperfect human beings.”
“I often read on LinkedIn about how great everybody is — ‘I’m great’, ‘I have top sales this month’ — but I don’t buy it anymore. I think we lose our sense of authenticity when we try to portray ourselves as being too perfect, and I think we’ve missed the boat in terms of what we’re looking for in true leaders.”
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While readers are taking away different messages from Massimo’s memoir, from it being a love story to a guidebook on leadership, for Massimo it’s about the relationships that have shaped his life.
“I’ve summited mountains and I waved the flag at the top, but that’s not what it’s about,” he says. “It’s about the people that I’ve met, the journeys that I’ve been on with those people, and being able to still contribute to organizations I’m passionate about. I’m hoping I’ll continue to make a difference for the rest of my life in some small way if I can.”
Where the Trails Lead can be purchased at Happenstance Books & Yarns in Lakefield, online through Amazon, or by emailing Massimo at rudymassimo@gmail.com.
Learn how 19th-century settlers preserved the fall harvest and prepared for the winter during Applefest at Lang Pioneer Village Museum in Keene on October 5, 2025. (Photo: Hailey Doughty)
Although the Indigenous peoples of North America harvested native crab apples for thousands of years for food and medicine, the domesticated apples we are familiar with today were introduced to Canada by European settlers and quickly became a staple fall crop, helping pioneers survive the harsh Canadian winters.
You can learn more about the importance of apples to 19th-century settlers and celebrate the fall harvest season by bringing your family to Lang Pioneer Village Museum in Keene on Sunday (October 5) for Applefest. Running from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., the popular annual event includes activities for the entire family and, of course, lots of apples.
Tour the village by horse-drawn wagon, courtesy of Highview Farm, and find out how settlers prepared for the winter by viewing a variety of historic demonstrations throughout the village.
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Demonstrations include cider pressing at the Cider Mill, threshing, mattress repair and stuffing, natural dyeing, chair caning, corn cordage making, broom making, grinding at the Grist Mill, wood turning by the Peterborough Artisan Centre Wood Turners and Kawartha Wood Turners Guild, rug hooking by the Northumberland Rug Hookers Guild, spinning by Shepherd Hill Farms, sheep shearing, and more.
Visit the Aabnaabin Camp to see how Indigenous apple-face dolls are made, view an antique clock display brought by the Quinte Timekeepers, and drop by the Ayotte Cabin where historic reenactors from the 41st Battalion of Brockville Rifles, 1st Company, will be performing drills and demonstrating military marching.
Live entertainment includes harvest hymns in the Glen Alda Church, harvest dance performances by the Peterborough Scottish Country Dancers, traditional music performed by Lotus White on the Weaver Shop porch, a crankie theatre — a 19th-century moving panorama — called “1862” performed by Glen Caradus, and sheep-herding demonstrations.
During Applefest at Lang Pioneer Village Museum in Keene on October 5, 2025, there will be many historic demonstrations including cider pressing at the Cider Mill, as well as live entertainment, games and crafts, apples and apple products to purchase, and more. (Photo: Lang Pioneer Village Museum)
Immerse yourself in apples by playing a game of apple tic-tac-toe and making an apple craft to take home with you. You can enjoy apple cider and freshly baked apple treats at the Keene Hotel, and bushels of apples, candy apples, and fresh apple cider will be for sale to take home with you. If you love apple pie, take part in the pie-eating contest at 2 p.m. on the Village Green.
Other food options are available for purchase in the Peterborough County Agricultural Heritage Building, including BBQ goods from the Keene Lions Club food truck (cash only) and a variety of food items from Call Creations Catering & Events.
Ben’s Kettle Corn will be selling traditional kettle corn and candy floss, and fresh Empire Cheese curd and bread will be for sale in the Cheese Factory.
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Admission to Applefest is $17 for adults, $12 for students and seniors, and $9 for youth ages five to 14 (free for children under five). Family admission is also available for $45 and includes two adults and four youth. Tickets are available in advance online or when you arrive at Lang Pioneer Village.
On-site parking is available on a first-come first-served basis, with overflow parking available at McIntyre Park.
Northumberland County Warden Brian Ostrander announced on September 29, 2025 that, effective immediately, Jennifer Moore will no longer serve as the county's chief administrative officer. (Photo: Northumberland County)
After 17 years with Northumberland County, Jennifer Moore is no longer chief administrative officer (CAO) effective Monday (September 29).
Northumberland County Warden Brian Ostrander released a statement on Monday afternoon, announcing the news of Moore’s departure.
kawarthaNOW reached out to Ostrander with questions about the circumstances of her leaving, but he refrained from sharing further comments, noting the matter arose from a closed session of Northumberland County council.
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“I have to let the comments that I’ve made stand as is,” Ostrander said. “Everything of course was discussed in closed session, and I’m going to let (those comments) ride. I’m afraid I can’t offer much more comment than that.”
In his Monday afternoon statement, Ostrander said “On behalf of County Council I am advising that, effective today, Jennifer Moore is no longer serving as Chief Administrative Officer of Northumberland County.”
He added that, during her 17 years of service with the county, Moore provided “dedicated and respected leadership, guiding the county through periods of transformative change.”
Ostrander said that, in her CAO role over the last 10 years as well as her prior seven years as director of finance and treasurer, “she prepared budgets that strengthened the county’s financial management, navigated complex projects, championed improvements to processes, and enhanced services for the community.”
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The warden said she was also a valued mentor to many staff, “fostering professional growth and helping to build an organizational culture of excellence that will endure.”
“Her commitment to public service has left a lasting impact, and county council wishes her all the very best in her future pursuits,” Ostrander concluded.
He said no interim CAO has been appointed to replace Moore and that Northumberland County’s senior management team “will continue to conduct the affairs of the organization and report directly to council, while council considers next steps.”
Kawartha Youth Orchestra volunteer John Good and board vice chair Joy Simmonds accept a $10,000 donation from 100 Women Peterborough founding member Wendy Hill as other members of the collective philanthropy group look on during the group's third meeting of 2025 in the lobby of the Venture North building on Tuesday, September 16. (Photo courtesy of 100 Women Peterborough)
100 Women Peterborough has chosen the Kawartha Youth Orchestra (KYO) to receive a donation of more than $10,000 that will support the charity’s free after-school music program for elementary school children called Upbeat!
The collective philanthropy group held its third meeting of 2025 on September 16 in the lobby of the Venture North building in downtown Peterborough. At each of the group’s quarterly meetings, members hears presentations from three non-profit organizations randomly drawn from a larger list of organizations nominated by the group’s members. Each member commits to donating $100, and the organization that gets the most member votes receives the collective donations.
The three organizations that presented to 100 Women Peterborough at September’s meeting were Cuddles for Cancer, Public Energy Performing Arts, and KYO, with the latter chosen by majority vote to receive member donations.
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Running on Tuesdays and Thursdays throughout the school year at the KYO’s new home at the New Canadians Centre (St. James United Church) in downtown Peterborough, Upbeat! provides students in grades 3 to 8 with free string music lessons taught by professional musicians. Students also get free violin, viola, or cello loans through the KYO and no music experience is required.
The KYO’s winning pitch was presented by board vice chair Joy Simmonds and community engagement committee volunteer John Good and, according to a media release from 100 Women Peterborough, “was presented with joy, passion, and hope.”
“Music supports learning in so many ways: building self-worth and confidence, developing attention, focus, and listening skills, fostering teamwork and a sense of belonging, a love for music and, most of all, fun,” Simmonds said. “Upbeat! is a social program focused on the whole child, overcoming barriers, building hope, and changing the future of our community … please help us stay Upbeat!”
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The KYO launched Upbeat! in 2021 running three days per week with the help of a three-year Ontario Trillium Foundation grant that ended in June 2024. Since then, the KYO has relied on some smaller grants, in particular from the Community Foundation of Greater Peterborough, as well as community donations to continue to fund the program.
The donation from 100 Women Peterborough will help provide funding stability for Upbeat!
“Supporting the Kawartha Youth Orchestra and their Upbeat! program means we’re not just funding music education, we’re helping children build confidence, community, and a brighter future,” said Alyssa Stewart, founding member of 100 Women Peterborough. “That’s the heart of what 100 Women Peterborough is all about.”
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Since its formation in 2018, 100 Women Peterborough has collectively donated over $250,000 to 27 local organizations.
Organizations that have received member donations include YWCA Peterborough Haliburton, Vinnies Peterborough, Hospice Peterborough, Peterborough Youth Unlimited, One Roof Warming Room, New Canadians Centre, Cameron House, Five Counties Children’s Centre, Casa De Angelae, Lakefield Animal Welfare Society, Community Care Peterborough, Kawartha Sexual Assault Centre, Community Counselling and Resource Centre, Peterborough Pregnancy Support Services, Heads Up for Inclusion, Kawartha Youth Orchestra, Peterborough GreenUP, Bridges Peterborough, YMCA Strong Communities, Homeward Bound Peterborough, Good Neighbours Care Centre and Food Bank, PARN – Your Community AIDS Resource Network, Camp Kawartha, the Teachers For Kids Foundation, Hearts 4 Joy, Camp Northern Lights, and Big Brothers Big Sisters of Peterborough.
100 Women Peterborough is part of a growing collective philanthropy movement that began in the United States in November 2006, when Karen Dunigan of Michigan formed the “100 Women Who Care” group. After their first meeting, those women raised over $10,000 for the purchase of 300 new baby cribs for a local organization. The movement has grown over the past 18 years to include groups of men, women, youth, and children around the world, with hundreds of chapters in Canada alone.
For more information about 100 Women Peterborough, visit www.100womenptbo.ca.
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