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Climate leadership camp at Peterborough’s Ecology Park empowers youth to take action

By GreenUP -
Peterborough GreenUP's Climate Leadership Camp for Girls, Two-Spirit and Gender Diverse Youth is a week-long camp at Ecology Park during July and August tailored to ages 11 to 13. The camp offers gender-diverse youth the chance to build the skills and confidence needed to become climate leaders, with a focus on green building, food security, cycling skills, climate adaptation, and water protection. (Photo: Genevieve Ramage)

Youth in our region have proven that they can have a real and sustained impact on the environment and climate.

Each week, GreenUP provides a story related to the environment. This week’s column is by Karen O’Krafka, Program Coordinator at GreenUP.

Youth are conscious consumers, discerning digesters of media, and they can get down and dirty to retrofit their school yards for climate resilience, all while tackling responsibilities at school and at home. How can we further support and encourage these inspiring climate leaders?

As many families are currently planning for summer camp, GreenUP is excited to shout “There are camps that can do that!”

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Gearing up for a fourth season, GreenUP’s Climate Leadership camp for Girls, Two-Spirit and Gender Diverse Youth is one of many camps in this region that offers children and youth opportunities to flex their leadership muscles.

While writing this column on the International Day of Education (January 24), we were inspired to take a deeper look at the diverse patchwork of nature-inspired camps offered here in Peterborough and the Kawarthas. These camps play an important role in the community by developing biophilia (nature connectedness) in our youngest generation.

To help reiterate this point, Jacob Rodenburg, executive director of Camp Kawartha and leader of the Pathway to Stewardship and Kinship, asks, “What are the key seminal experiences that will help motivate? A lot of it is not rocket science, right? Little kids need a chance just to love the earth, to activate their senses.”

Not only does the climate crisis magnify inequalities people may face, but it also exacerbates the emotional anxiety that is disproportionately experienced by youth. Camps are a powerful tool in addressing this anxiety by engaging in thoughtful dialogue and supporting youth agency in creating change. (Photo: Jessica Todd / GreenUP)
Not only does the climate crisis magnify inequalities people may face, but it also exacerbates the emotional anxiety that is disproportionately experienced by youth. Camps are a powerful tool in addressing this anxiety by engaging in thoughtful dialogue and supporting youth agency in creating change. (Photo: Jessica Todd / GreenUP)

The tremendous local contingent of nature-based camps certainly offer this for campers. Our region is home to Trent TRACKS camps, Jumping Mouse Outdoor School, Gritty Classroom, Camp Kawartha, and Rowantree Children School, to name just a few.

Summer camps provide children and youth with opportunity to connect to nature. They can also benefit the youth by strengthening their resiliency during times of duress.

“We often underestimate the positive impacts that time in nature can have on our mental well-being and resilience,” explains Anne Corkery, renowned environmental educator and founder of the Gritty Classroom Camps. “At a time when resilience is lacking in our younger population and our climate is in crisis, we need now, more than ever, to cultivate a connection between our children and the natural world.”

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As our campers grow, so do their interests and what engages them. Tweens and teens benefit most from authentic opportunities for hands-on experience combined with real work. Rodenburg notes that “as [young people] get older, they need to engage in direct action.”

Enter climate leadership camps.

GreenUP’s Climate Leadership Camp for Girls, Two-Spirit and Gender Diverse Youth is again set to wheel our way through the community with week-long camps tailored to ages 11 to 13.

Climate leadership camps at GreenUP provide outlets for youth to discuss, act upon, and relate back to issues in climate change through meaningful action. (Photo: Jessica Todd / GreenUP)
Climate leadership camps at GreenUP provide outlets for youth to discuss, act upon, and relate back to issues in climate change through meaningful action. (Photo: Jessica Todd / GreenUP)

The impacts of climate change are felt disproportionately across many intersections of lived experience, and continue to magnify the inequalities in our society.

“One solution is to increase access to educational programming that responds to inequalities,” offers GreenUP’s executive director Tegan Moss. “At GreenUP, this is exactly what we’ve been doing with the Climate Leadership program.”

Camp can create inspiring environments that hone skills, engage in respectful dialogue and have fun, too — all in the name of climate leadership.

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During the Climate Leadership program, GreenUP education staff introduce this group of campers to trusted mentors who generously share own their professional expertise and passion around climate action.

This summer, this cohort will have the opportunity to learn from B!KE, The Diverse Nature Collective, Elder Dorothy Taylor from Oshkigamong/Curve Lake First Nation, The Endeavour Centre, Nourish, and the Gender Equity team from Kawartha World Issues Centre.

With the support of an incredible community of climate action heroes and opportunities like nature-based camps, young people have the chance to build the skills and confidence they need to be climate leaders, now and into the future.

Peterborough GreenUP's Climate Leadership Camp for Girls, Two-Spirit and Gender Diverse Youth includes a cycling skills component in partnership with B!ke - The Community Bike Shop. B!ke's community outreach manager Ness Pringle says they "really enjoyed getting to work with the kids because it allowed me to be a part of the process of helping them settle in and open up socially. Many of them by the end of the day, I noticed, had already become more knowledgeable about the mechanics of their bikes." (Photo: Genevieve Ramage)
Peterborough GreenUP’s Climate Leadership Camp for Girls, Two-Spirit and Gender Diverse Youth includes a cycling skills component in partnership with B!ke – The Community Bike Shop. B!ke’s community outreach manager Ness Pringle says they “really enjoyed getting to work with the kids because it allowed me to be a part of the process of helping them settle in and open up socially. Many of them by the end of the day, I noticed, had already become more knowledgeable about the mechanics of their bikes.” (Photo: Genevieve Ramage)

Ecology Park camp registration for the summer is now open at greenup.on.ca. Email camps@greenup.on.ca for more details.

 

Thanks to the support of the Community Foundation, we are able to both enhance our programming and to offer four fully funded equity priority spaces for Climate Leadership campers this year.

The Community Foundation of Peterborough’s Gender Equality Grants are made possible thanks to a collaboration between Community Foundations of Canada and the Equality Fund, with support from the Government of Canada.

Devon Girard is new executive director of Community Futures Peterborough

By kawarthaNOW -
Peterborough native Devon Girard is the new executive director of Community Futures Peterborough. (Supplied photo)

Devon Girard is the new executive director of Community Futures Peterborough, a not-for-profit organization supporting small businesses in the City and County of Peterborough with flexible financing.

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Strengthening ‘team approach’ key goal of Community Futures Peterborough’s new leader

A Peterborough native, Girard has more than two decades of experience in communications, government, not-for-profit, and media. She most recently led the Women’s Entrepreneurship Strategy at Northumberland Community Futures Development Corporation (CFDC), where she founded StrikeUP Canada, Canada’s largest digital conference for women entrepreneurs.

“Devon’s proven ability to unite stakeholders and lead new initiatives will no doubt serve our communities for years to come,” says Charlina Westbye, Community Futures Peterborough board chair, in an announcement on Thursday (February 2). “We couldn’t be more excited to welcome Devon to the Community Futures Peterborough team.”

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Prior to her time at Northumberland CFDC, Girard was director of marketing and communications at three Peterborough companies: Park Place Financial, Peak Benefit Solutions Inc., and Farm Life. Before then, she spent almost a decade in various senior roles in the British Columbia government, where she led large-scale projects for the 2010 Olympics and also served as a political advisor to the Premier and Minister of Economic Development.

From 2017 to 2020, Girard was a board director of Community Futures Peterborough, holding the positions of governance chair and vice chair until she left the board to work for Northumberland CFDC.

Girard is taking over from Gail Moorhouse, who recently left Community Futures Peterborough after almost five years as executive director to pursue a career in governance and board training.

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“I am thrilled for the opportunity to join the team at Community Futures Peterborough and work with our incredible partners to shape our entrepreneurial landscape and local economy,” Girard says. “I am grateful for the support of our board of directors as we embark on this exciting chapter for the organization.”

Girard lives in Peterborough with her husband and two daughters.

Funded by the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (FedDev Ontario), Community Futures Peterborough has invested more than $38 million in 1,000 small businesses since 1985, creating or maintaining more than 4,000 jobs in the City and the County of Peterborough.

Free webinars will help Peterborough-area business owners get ready for tax season

By Paul Rellinger -
With tax season fast approaching, business owners will want to take advantage of the three free tax webinars being offered by Peterborough & the Kawarthas Economic Development's Business Advisory Centre, on February 22, March 6 and 20, 2023, for sole proprietors and partnerships, small corporations, and small business or self-employed individuals. (Photo: Peterborough & the Kawarthas Economic Development)

Whether you’re a first-time business owner or have been running your business for years, now’s the time to start preparing for tax season — and Peterborough & the Kawarthas Economic Development (PKED) can help.

PKED’s Business Advisory Centre is offering three free tax webinars — on February 22nd, March 6th and 20th — for sole proprietors and partnerships, small corporations, and small business or self-employed individuals.

While sole proprietors and partnerships have until June 15, 2023 to file their 2022 taxes, any taxes owing for 2022 must be paid by May 1st to avoid late payment fees (April 30th falls on a Sunday this year). Corporations must file their return no later than six months after the end of their fiscal year (e.g., June 30th if the fiscal year ends on December 31st).

For business owners who are filing their taxes for the first time, struggling to keep up with tax law changes and associated requirements, or simply in need of a primer, the three webinars offered by the Business Advisory Centre will provide an opportunity to learn directly from tax experts — including representatives from the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA).

“A lot of our clients have asked for help to demystify things from a tax perspective side but also from the fiscal or financial management side,” explains Business Advisory Centre Manager Madeleine Hurrell.

“We thought ‘Why don’t we bring in some experts for our small businesses to take advantage of, so they’re better equipped when tax season rolls around?’ While a lot of information gets passed around by word of mouth, such as what you can write off, it’s important to hear from experts so you’re set up to do things the right way.”

The February 22nd webinar, titled 2022 Income Tax Preparation for Sole Proprietors and Partnerships, will be delivered via Zoom from 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. by Carey McMaster, the owner and founder of Traicon. McMaster’s Bancroft-based company provides business training, knowledge, and expertise to aspiring entrepreneurs and innovative leaders.

The free "2022 Income Tax Preparation for Sole Proprietors and Partnerships" virtual workshop will be delivered via Zoom from 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. on February 22, 2023 by Carey McMaster, the owner and founder of Traicon, a Bancroft-based company providing business training, knowledge, and expertise to aspiring entrepreneurs and innovative leaders. (Graphic: Peterborough & the Kawarthas Economic Development)
The free “2022 Income Tax Preparation for Sole Proprietors and Partnerships” virtual workshop will be delivered via Zoom from 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. on February 22, 2023 by Carey McMaster, the owner and founder of Traicon, a Bancroft-based company providing business training, knowledge, and expertise to aspiring entrepreneurs and innovative leaders. (Graphic: Peterborough & the Kawarthas Economic Development)

McMaster’s review will include how to set up a business account with the CRA, how to submit HST and payroll remittances online, and how to properly complete Form T2125 (Statement of Business or Professional Activities), including calculating capital cost allowance and claiming allowable expenses such as business use of home and motor vehicle expenses.

The March 6th and March 20th virtual workshops, both running from 5 to 7 p.m., will be delivered via Microsoft Teams by Liaison Officers with the CRA.

The March 6th session, titled T2 Webinar: Free Tax Help for Small Corporations, will review general bookkeeping concepts and related practices, explain common tax errors, and demonstrate how to use financial benchmarks for relevant industries.

The March 20th session, titled T1 Webinar: Free Tax Help for Small Business or Self-Employed Individuals, will help explain tax obligations and cover general bookkeeping concepts and best practices, describe common tax errors, demonstrate how to use financial benchmarks for relevant industries, and provide information on the CRA’s services.

While each of the three webinars is free, advance registration is required at investptbo.ca/events/.

The free "T2 Webinar: Free Tax Help for Small Corporations" virtual workshop will be delivered via Microsoft Teams from 5 to 7 p.m. on March 6, 2023 by Liaison Officers with the Canada Revenue Agency. (Graphic: Peterborough & the Kawarthas Economic Development)
The free “T2 Webinar: Free Tax Help for Small Corporations” virtual workshop will be delivered via Microsoft Teams from 5 to 7 p.m. on March 6, 2023 by Liaison Officers with the Canada Revenue Agency. (Graphic: Peterborough & the Kawarthas Economic Development)

Although the 2022 tax filing deadline is still months away, Tyler Powers — a Chartered Professional Accountant with Peterborough-based Gauvreau Accounting Tax Law Advisory — says an investment of time now will save business owners a lot of pain when preparing to file. That includes following best practices, such as organizing receipts by category, and being aware of which expenses are deductible and which are not.

“If you’re accurately keeping track on your end, it’s going to save you a lot of money and time — plus if there’s a CRA review after you file you’ve got everything in the right spot,” Powers explains, adding a big common tax error is “mis-categorization.”

“The CRA is looking for specific things. When the numbers seem out of balance because they’re in the wrong spot, you’re prompting yourself for a CRA review. Nobody wants to deal with that.”

According to Powers, each of the three webinars will help business owners understand the documentation they need to set aside so that, when it’s time to prepare their 2022 tax return, everything is organized.

The free "T1 Webinar: Free Tax Help for Small Business or Self-Employed Individuals" virtual workshop will be delivered via Microsoft Teams from 5 to 7 p.m. on March 20, 2023 by Liaison Officers with the Canada Revenue Agency. (Graphic: Peterborough & the Kawarthas Economic Development)
The free “T1 Webinar: Free Tax Help for Small Business or Self-Employed Individuals” virtual workshop will be delivered via Microsoft Teams from 5 to 7 p.m. on March 20, 2023 by Liaison Officers with the Canada Revenue Agency. (Graphic: Peterborough & the Kawarthas Economic Development)

Although the three upcoming webinars will provide business owners with what they need to know to file their taxes, some may require additional assistance from tax professionals like Powers. While this can be an unanticipated business expense, Hurrell notes it’s a good investment.

“A lot of times people will say ‘I’m just getting started, I can’t afford to do that,'” Hurrell explains. “You can afford doing things right the first time. Having that peace of mind is worth more than the cost, and you can focus more on what you enjoy doing and on generating sales. At the very least, have a consultation with an accounting firm to see if they would be a good fit for you.”

For entrepreneurs seeking to grow their business, there’s another clear benefit to seeking advice from a professional to ensure their financial records are in order.

“It’s good for us to know if applicants are working with a professional,” says Devon Girard, Executive Director Community Futures Peterborough, which offers loans and financing for small- and medium-sized businesses. “Organizations like Community Futures and PKED want entrepreneurs to succeed. We work together to ensure that entrepreneurs are prepared and have the pieces in place so it’s easier for us to fund them and ensure their success.”

Being prepared includes taking advantage of no-cost opportunities like the three upcoming tax webinars being offered by PKED’s Business Advisory Centre, where business owners can also benefit from coming together to have a shared experience with their peers.

“People don’t like to talk about taxes,” Powers says. “It’s not a topic that people are having conversations around at the dinner table with friends. Attending these sessions, where there’s like-minded people asking good questions, is a great opportunity.”

The sessions can also help business owners avoid the time-consuming and potentially costly complications that could result from errors on a tax return, especially years down the road.

“Getting behind the eight ball can really set back your business when you have a tax liability you didn’t know about,” Powers adds.

To register for the upcoming tax webinars, or any of the other workshops offered by the Business Advisory Centre, visit PKED’s website at investptbo.ca/events/.

 

This branded editorial was created in partnership with Peterborough & the Kawarthas Economic Development. If your organization or business is interested in a branded editorial, contact us.

(CANAL NOW CLOSED) – Green flag is flying at the Peterborough Lift Lock canal

By kawarthaNOW -
A lone skate on the Trent-Severn Waterway canal below the Peterborough Lift Lock in January 2022. (Photo: Bruce Head / kawarthaNOW)
Canal is now closed for skating

Note: The canal was only open for skating for five days. Due to above-freezing temperatures and rain, the red flag went back up on Monday, Feburary 6.

For the first time this winter, the green flag began flying beside the Trent-Severn Waterway canal below the Peterborough Lift Lock, meaning the ice is safe and skating on the canal is officially allowed.

The City of Peterborough’s public works department maintains the ice surface on the canal, as allowed by weather conditions, with a flag flying beside the canal to indicate the status.

A green flag means ice conditions are safe and skating is permitted, and a red flag means the opposite. The green flag went up on Wednesday (February 1).

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With an arctic cold front bringing frigid air to the area over the next 48 hours, you might want delay your skating plans at the canal until the weekend.

On Friday, there will be a risk of frostbite with wind chill values -37°C in the morning and -32°C in the afternoon.

Temperatures will warm up over the weekend, with a high of -9°C on Saturday and a high of 1°C on Sunday, with a chance of snow on both days.

VIDEO: Skating on the canal

Snow squall watch in effect Thursday for much of Kawarthas region

By kawarthaNOW -

Environment Canada has issued a snow squall watch for much of the Kawarthas region for Thursday afternoon (February 2) into evening.

The snow squall watch in effect for Peterborough County, Kawartha Lakes, Haliburton County, and Hastings Highlands.

A brief but intense snow squall, associated with a fast-moving arctic cold front, will push southeastward across southern Ontario Thursday afternoon through early evening. Heavy snow will combine with gusty northwesterly winds to give near zero visibility at times.

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With snowfall accumulations of 2 to 5 cm in an hour or two and wind gusts of 50 to 70 km/h, expect sudden whiteout conditions in heavy snow and blowing snow.

Snow squalls cause weather conditions to vary considerably; changes from clear skies to heavy snow within just a few kilometres are common. Travel may be hazardous due to sudden changes in the weather. Visibility may be significantly and suddenly reduced to near zero.

Plunging temperatures in the wake of this front will usher in the coldest air of the season so far, with temperatures approaching -30°C (-40°C with wind chill).

 

This story has been updated with the latest forecast from Environment Canada.

Susan Leask of Peterborough one of 16 recipients of the Ontario Senior Achievement Awards

By kawarthaNOW -
Peterborough resident Susan Leask (back row, third from left) was one of 16 recipients of the 2022 Ontario Senior Achievement Awards, presented by Lieutenant Governor Elizabeth Dowdeswell and Ontario Minister for Seniors and Accessibility Raymond Cho (front row, fourth and third from right) at Queen's Park in Toronto on January 31, 2023. (Photo: Ontario Ministry for Seniors and Accessibility)

Susan Leask of Peterborough is one of 16 recipients of the 2022 Ontario Senior Achievement Awards, the provincial government announced on Tuesday (January 31).

The awards recognize people for significant contributions to their communities after the age of 65.

This includes fundraising, leading community beautification projects, helping with programs such as Meals on Wheels, volunteering in hospitals, local churches, senior organizations, retirement homes and long-term-care homes, and supporting and empowering the aging population by serving as advocates for veterans, people who are homeless, new immigrants, the Francophone community, people with disabilities, and job seekers.

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The recipients were honoured by Lieutenant Governor Elizabeth Dowdeswell and Ontario Minister for Seniors and Accessibility Raymond Cho at a recognition ceremony in the Lieutenant Governor’s Suite at Queen’s Park in Toronto.

“I am pleased to recognize the impressive recipients of the 2022 Ontario Senior Achievement Award,” said Dowdeswell. “I would like to thank each person for their outstanding contributions to their communities and for making a positive difference in the lives of Ontarians.”

Leask has been a dedicated and active volunteer at Hillsdale Terraces, a long-term care home in Oshawa operated by the Regional Municipality of Durham, since 2015 and has been registered as a regular and active volunteer within the home.

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“As Family Council President, Susan has built strong and consistent council membership that welcomes, educates, and supports families who join,” reads her award citation. “She represents families at Strategic and Operational Planning Days, and Quality Improvement and Regional LTC Advisory Committees.”

Leask was also recognized for using her gardening expertise to help improve the quality of life for the home’s residents.

“Since 2017, Susan has also been volunteering in the Serenity Garden and has worked to transform it into a multi-season sanctuary for residents, families and staff. Her contributions to resident care, tasks and projects have made her an invaluable member of the Hillside Terraces family.”

The other 15 recipients are Jean Aitcheson of Stratford, Donna Cansfield of Etobicoke, Elizabeth Churcher of Tweed, Larry Duffield of Windsor, Réjeanne Fairhead of Ottawa, Lorraine Finn of Barry’s Bay, John Harper of Toronto, Matt Mathews of Burlington, Joan McSweeney of Leamington, Jean Roy of Toronto (now of Ottawa), Martine Rutherford of Beardmore, Anton Schwab of Uxbridge, Gwendolyn The of Toronto, Reijo J. Viitala of Sudbury, and Earl Windsor of Winchester.

Peterborough deputy police chief Tim Farquharson will be Port Hope’s new police chief

By kawarthaNOW -
Peterborough deputy police chief Tim Farquharson is retiring on March 1, 2003 after 36 years of service. (Photo: Peterborough Police Service)

Minutes after the Peterborough Police Services Board announced deputy police chief Tim Farquharson would be “retiring” from the Peterborough Police Service effective March 1, the Port Hope Police Services Board announced he has been named the new police chief of the Port Hope Police Service.

Farquharson began his policing career in 1986 at the age of 24 as a constable with the Peterborough Police Service (then called the Peterborough Lakefield Community Police Service). His assignments over his career included front line and community patrol, criminal investigations, intelligence, drug unit, and support services, becoming deputy chief in 2013.

Farquharson also served as acting police chief over the past year, after previous police chief Scott Gilbert’s sudden retirement in February 2022. Stuart Betts, formerly deputy chief of operations for the London Police Service, was hired as the new police chief effective January 9 this year.

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He has received many accolades throughout his career, including the Lieutenant Governor’s Medal of Bravery and being invested as a Member of the Order of Merit of the Police Forces, for his role in creating the Peterborough Drug Strategy Task Force.

“The Peterborough Police Services Board acknowledges and thanks Tim Farquharson for his exemplary dedication to serving the citizens of Peterborough, Township of Cavan-Monaghan and Village of Lakefield over the past 36 years,” reads a media release from the board. “His commitment to the service members and community was most recently noted as he took on the role of Acting Chief during the past year. The Board wishes Deputy Farquharson all the best on his upcoming retirement.”

Farquharson is replacing the previous Port Hope police chief Bryant Wood, who announced his retirement last fall after move than 30 years with the service, including the last eight years as chief.

“I am leaving incredible people and a great police service to start with another great police service that has established positive partnerships with the OPP, Cobourg Police Service, and Peterborough Police Service,” Farquharson says in a media release. “Leadership is about people, and I look forward to learning from members of the board, partners, and the community.”

 

The original version of this story has been updated.

Indigenous musician and activist Susan Aglukark keynote speaker at INSPIRE’s first annual International Women’s Day Event in Peterborough

By Jeannine Taylor -
Award-winning Inuk musician, community activist, and children's author Susan Aglukark will be the keynote speaker at INSPIRE's first annual International Women's Day Event at the Holiday Inn in downtown Peterborough on March 8, 2023. (Photo: Denise Grant)

Award-winning Indigenous musician and community activist Susan Aglukark will be the keynote speaker at INSPIRE’s first annual International Women’s Day event on Wednesday, March 8th in downtown Peterborough.

Early bird tickets are available until February 18 for the inaugural event, which is being led by photographer Heather Doughty, founder of INSPIRE: The Women’s Portrait Project.

Heather created INSPIRE in 2018 as a series of portraits of remarkable local women and non-binary individuals. Now a registered not-for-profit charity with a board of directors, INSPIRE has subsequently launched additional photography-related projects including Day of the Girl, Resilience, #SheINSPIRESMe, Women in Farming, and Mom Bod.

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“INSPIRE is turning five this year and we wanted to have a year-long celebration,” Heather tells kawarthaNOW. “We wanted to pepper the year with fun events and naturally International Women’s Day was one of the first events mentioned.”

Prior to the pandemic, Louise Racine of Thirteen Moons Wellness had organized four annual International Women’s Day events in Peterborough. The final event was held in early March 2020, just before the pandemic hit.

“I reached out to Louise to see if she was planning on bringing her event back,” Heather says. “She was not and very generously offered to share her knowledge if INSPIRE decided to move forward. International Women’s Day is a very important day. Hosting an event where women and young girls could come together to celebrate all that has been achieved, to celebrate who they are, and to empower them to move forward aligns with INSPIRE’s mission of providing a safe place to celebrate, share, and build community. So INSPIRE decided to create an event.”

The theme of nternational Women's Day 2023 is "Embrace Equity", which asks people to imagine a gender-equal world free of bias, stereotypes, and discrimination, where difference is valued and celebrated. (Graphic: International Women's Day / Facebook)
The theme of international Women’s Day 2023 is “Embrace Equity”, which asks people to imagine a gender-equal world free of bias, stereotypes, and discrimination, where difference is valued and celebrated. (Graphic: International Women’s Day / Facebook)

First taking place in 1911, International Women’s Day has become a global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women. The day also marks a call to action for accelerating gender parity. The theme for 2023 is “Embrace Equity”, asking people to imagine a gender-equal world free of bias, stereotypes, and discrimination, where difference is valued and celebrated.

Running from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on Wednesday, March 8th at the Holiday Inn Peterborough-Waterfront at 150 George Street, INSPIRE’s inaugural International Women’s Day event will include workshops facilitated by inspiring local women, an artisans’ market featuring the works of 25 local makers, and empowering talks by two Indigenous women: Nogojiwanong-Peterborough entrepreneur Ashley Lamothe and keynote speaker Susan Aglukark.

Ashley Lamothe is the owner and CEO of Creative Kwe, a business that focuses on amplifying, celebrating and decolonizing creativity through workshops, seminars and her online shop. In 2021, she was named entrepreneur of the month by the Native Women’s Association of Canada and, in 2022, received The President’s Award from the Peterborough and the Kawarthas Chamber of Commerce. The AnishnaabeKwe/Metis Two Spirit mother of two also works at Trent University within the First Peoples House of Learning as the Indigenous Student Success Coordinator.

Nogojiwanong-Peterborough entrepreneur Ashley Lamothe will deliver the morning talk at INSPIRE's first annual International Women's Day Event at the Holiday Inn in downtown Peterborough on March 8, 2023. (Photo: Heather Doughty)
Nogojiwanong-Peterborough entrepreneur Ashley Lamothe will deliver the morning talk at INSPIRE’s first annual International Women’s Day Event at the Holiday Inn in downtown Peterborough on March 8, 2023. (Photo: Heather Doughty)
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Susan Aglukark is an Inuk musician, community activist, and children’s author whose blend of Inuit folk music traditions with pop songwriting has made her a recording star in Canada. She has released nine albums (her single “O Siem” reached number one on the Canadian country and adult contemporary charts in 1995) and has won three Juno awards — including the first Juno by an Inuk artist.

A long-time advocate for northern Canadian communities, Aglukark is the founder of the Arctic Rose Project, which helps create emotionally safe environments for Indigenous children and youth, for which she received the Juno 2022 Humanitarian Award from the Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences. Aglukark is also the co-founder of the Aboriginal Literacy Project and the former chair of the Arctic Children and Youth Foundation.

An officer of the Order of Canada, Aglukark has received the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal, a Governor General’s Performing Arts Award for lifetime artistic achievement, the Canadian Country Music Association Vista Rising Star Award, the Canadian Aboriginal Music Award, Native American Music Award, and three honorary doctorates. Named one of Maclean’s magazine’s “100 Canadians to Watch,” she has performed for Queen Elizabeth II, Nelson Mandela, Canadian Prime Ministers Jean Chrétien and Brian Mulroney, French President Jacques Chirac, as well as several other dignitaries.

VIDEO: Susan Aglukark receives the Humanitarian Award at the 2022 Juno Awards

Emceed by Peterborough comedian and actor Megan Murphy. INSPIRE’s International Women’s Day event will include six workshops, with participants able to select one morning and one afternoon workshop.

The workshops include “Women and Financial Wellness” with money coach Angie Ross, “Women’s Connection to The Earth” with Curve Lake First Nation community Anishinaabemowin coordinator Anne Taylor, “Self-Compassion: An Exploration through Expressive Writing” with author and Open Sky Stories owner Erica Richmond, “Redefining Success” with Nectar Co. founder and Canadian Canoe Museum philanthropy associate Rose Terry, a workshop where Rebecca Turland of One City and Bridges Peterborough will share her journey through mental illness, addiction, poverty, and motherhood, and “The Healing Powers of Expressive Art” with artist and expressive arts therapist Lindsay Dixon.

Tickets for INSPIRE’s International Women’s Day event are available as of Wednesday, February 1st at inspirethewomensportraitproject.com/international-womens-day-event, with special early bird pricing of $60 per person until Saturday, February 18th (the price will be $75 after February 18). As INSPIRE believes in accessibility and inclusivity for all, tickets have been shared with local community partners to ensure that all who wish to join have the opportunity to participate.

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“INSPIRE wants to build a sustainable event and that is why we are hard at work to create a program that will empower and inspire participants and also have them excited to return next year,” Heather says. “That is also why sponsorship and community support is so important, so that we have the ability to move forward and build on the foundation of this event for years to come.”

Local businesses, organizations, and individuals interested in sponsoring the event can visit inspirethewomensportraitproject.com/sponsorship-packages.

According to Heather, hosting the International Women’s Day event “is a big step for INSPIRE” but has become possible because of the support of the community and the hard work of the women who have been members of INSPIRE’s board of directors.

Workshops at INSPIRE's first annual International Women's Day Event at the Holiday Inn in downtown Peterborough on March 8, 2023 will be delivered by (left to right, top to bottom): money coach Angie Ross, Curve Lake First Nation community coordinator Anne Taylor, author and Open Sky Stories owner Erica Richmond, Nectar Co. founder Rose Terry, Rebecca Turland of One City and Bridges Peterborough, and artist and expressive arts therapist Lindsay Dixon. (kawarthaNOW collage of supplied photos)
Workshops at INSPIRE’s first annual International Women’s Day Event at the Holiday Inn in downtown Peterborough on March 8, 2023 will be delivered by (left to right, top to bottom): money coach Angie Ross, Curve Lake First Nation community coordinator Anne Taylor, author and Open Sky Stories owner Erica Richmond, Nectar Co. founder Rose Terry, Rebecca Turland of One City and Bridges Peterborough, and artist and expressive arts therapist Lindsay Dixon. (kawarthaNOW collage of supplied photos)

“The board created a strong foundation to build the INSPIRE house on, so we can move forward now with INSPIRE’s goals,” Heather explains. “This event is a natural progression for INSPIRE — providing the platforms for voices to speak and the safe space to learn and to build community. It gives me goosebumps.”

For more details about INSPIRE’s International Women’s Day event, including the day’s agenda and workshop descriptions, and to purchase tickets, visit inspirethewomensportraitproject.com.

 

kawarthaNOW is proud to be the exclusive official media sponsor of INSPIRE’s first annual International Women’s Day event.

At the ReFrame Film Festival, all are welcome

By kawarthaNOW -
Alice Williams and Nadine Changfoot at the ReFrame Film Festival's in-person opening night event at Showplace Performance Centre on January 26, 2023. The documentary film festival continues until February 3, featuring more than 60 films streaming online as well as panel discussions, filmmaker Q&As, and a free exhibition in partnership with Artspace Peterborough. (Photo: Ziysah von Bieberstein)

ReFrame Film Festival’s mid-winter community celebration of documentary film and media art is in full swing in Nogojiwanong-Peterborough and across the country.

This guest editorial has been supplied by the ReFrame Film Festival team.

With a lens on social and environmental justice, ReFrame aims to build active and engaged community audiences through the curated presentation of thought-provoking documentary film.

Opening to rousing success at Showplace Performance Centre in downtown Peterborough on January 26th, with a screening of the stunning Oscar-nominated film All the Beauty and the Bloodshed, ReFrame 2023 features panel discussions, filmmaker Q&As, and a dazzling exhibition in partnership with Artspace Peterborough which is free and open to the public until February 25th.

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At the heart of this year’s festival is the online program of over 60 films running until Friday (February 3), available to anyone with access to a device and an internet connection — anywhere in Canada.

ReFrame is acutely aware that income disparities present barriers to participation for many, and seeks to promote income-based accessibility to our programming, so as many people as possible can engage with this astounding collection of films and the important ideas they present.

The festival offers a no-questions-asked, pay-what-you-can policy for every single screening in our 2023 virtual festival.

Brenda Longfellow, Mkwa Ghiizis, and Alex Bierk during the panel discussion "What Role Can Art Play in the Overdose Crisis?" at Artspace in downtown Peterborough on January 28, 2023. (Photo: Ziysah von Bieberstein)
Brenda Longfellow, Mkwa Ghiizis, and Alex Bierk during the panel discussion “What Role Can Art Play in the Overdose Crisis?” at Artspace in downtown Peterborough on January 28, 2023. (Photo: Ziysah von Bieberstein)

To access the films, visit the ReFrame Virtual Theatre at watch.eventive.org/reframe2023 and create a login with the ReFrame’s streaming platform Eventive. Do so by clicking on the “Login” button in the top right corner of the page and enter your email address and a unique password. From there, the full catalogue of ReFrame 2023 films is available to stream on-demand for whatever price feels accessible to each viewer.

ReFrame also continues its successful Community Access Program, wherein ticket packages are shared with local advocacy groups and service organizations who distribute them among their membership at no cost.

For the 2023 festival, ReFrame is grateful to Black Lives Matter Nogojiwanong, Community Race Relations Committee of Peterborough, Curve Lake First Nation, Electric City Culture Council, New Canadians Centre, PARN Rainbow Youth, Peterborough Native Learning Program, Women and HIV/Aids Initiative, YES Shelter for Youth and Families, and Youth Leadership in Sustainability for helping us to share these essential films with our essential community.

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ReFramers taking in the exhibition "What Fools These Mortals Be" which runs until February 25, 2023 at Artspace in downtown Peterborough. The three-channel video installation reimagines Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream in a series of living pictures performed by 14 formerly incarcerated women. (Photo: Ziysah von Bieberstein)
ReFramers taking in the exhibition “What Fools These Mortals Be” which runs until February 25, 2023 at Artspace in downtown Peterborough. The three-channel video installation reimagines Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream in a series of living pictures performed by 14 formerly incarcerated women. (Photo: Ziysah von Bieberstein)

ReFrame is a registered non-profit charitable organization with a small but mighty team of staff (one contract and two year-round positions) and ticket and pass sales represent just 16 per cent of our annual revenue.

If you are in a position to support the work that we do, tax deductible charitable receipts are available for contributions of $20 and up, and can be made through our website at reframefilmfestival.ca/support/donate/. We are immensely grateful for the generosity of those who help us to keep ReFrame as accessible as possible.

ReFrame is proud to have been igniting the long nights with illuminating film for 19 years, and are deeply gratified to share these important works with so many. See you at the movies!

ReFrame Film Festival coordinator Lauren Corindia, artistic director Amy Siegel, and festival director Kait Dueck. (Photo: Ziysah von Bieberstein)
ReFrame Film Festival coordinator Lauren Corindia, artistic director Amy Siegel, and festival director Kait Dueck. (Photo: Ziysah von Bieberstein)

 

kawarthaNOW is proud to be an official media partner and sponsor of local films at the 2023 ReFrame Film Festival.

Show your love for food-insecure families in Kawartha Lakes during ‘Love Month’

By kawarthaNOW -
Rosie and Sadie Hussey show their support for "Love Month", a month-long series of events Kawartha Lakes Food Source is hosting with local businesses and organizations to raise wareness about food insecurity in the City of Kawartha Lakes, while also providing the community with more opportunities to donate during one of the months when the non-profit food distribution organization feeds the most people yet receives the fewest donations. (Photo courtesy of Kawartha Lakes Food Source)

You can show your love for food-insecure families during February by participating in “Love Month”, a month-long series of events Kawartha Lakes Food Source is hosting with local businesses and organizations — including Kawartha Conservation, which will be lighting and decorating a forest trail at Ken Reid Conservation Area in Lindsay.

During Love Month, Kawartha Lakes Food Source is raising awareness about food insecurity in the City of Kawartha Lakes while also providing the community with more opportunities to donate during one of the months when the non-profit food distribution organization feeds the most people yet receives the fewest donations.

Love Month kicks off on Wednesday (February 1) with Kindness Bingo, where participants have until February 25 to fill a straight or diagonal line on a bingo card by completing the tasks in each square of a bingo card. Tasks include a variety of free activities, donating to local charities, shopping at local businesses, and taking part in the rest of the events connected to Love Month. Kindness Bingo participants will have a chance to win two tickets to the “Take a Bite Out of Hunger!” gala dinner in April.

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Kindness Bingo cards are available in Lindsay at Kawartha Lakes Food Source’s distribution centre at 164 Needham St., Unwrapped Kawartha at 112 Kent St W., Kawartha Art Gallery at 190 Kent St. W. (2nd floor), Burns Bulk Food at 118 Kent St. W., North Ward Coffee Co. at 172 Angeline St. N., Ken Reid Administrative Centre at 277 Kenrei Rd., Kawartha Lakes Public Library at 190 Kent St W., BGC Kawarthas at 107 Lindsay St. S., Hill’s Florist at 182 Lindsay St. S., and The Kent Florist at 92 Kent St. W.

Also beginning on February 1st is “Love Bright”, a forest trail at Ken Reid Conservation Area near Lindsay that Kawartha Conservation is adorning with twinkling lights and Love Month decorations. Located near the off-leash dog park, the Love Bright trail will be open from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. for the entire month of February.

“We are thrilled to be a part of this wonderful event and to help raise awareness and funds for those in need in our community,” says Kristie Virgoe, Kawartha Conservation’s director of stewardship and conservation lands. “We invite everyone to come and experience Ken Reid Conservation Area at night and to support a great cause while enjoying a unique and beautiful experience.”

One of the Love Month events includes "Love Bright", a forest trail at Ken Reid Conservation Area near Lindsay. Similar to December's Illuminated Forest (pictured), Kawartha Conservation will be lighting a trail with twinkling lights as well as decorations. The Love Bright trail will be open from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. for the entire month of February, with $1 from every $4 paid parking admission donated to Kawartha Lakes Food Source. (Photo courtesy of Kawartha Conservation)
One of the Love Month events includes “Love Bright”, a forest trail at Ken Reid Conservation Area near Lindsay. Similar to December’s Illuminated Forest (pictured), Kawartha Conservation will be lighting a trail with twinkling lights as well as decorations. The Love Bright trail will be open from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. for the entire month of February, with $1 from every $4 paid parking admission donated to Kawartha Lakes Food Source. (Photo courtesy of Kawartha Conservation)

One dollar from each $4 paid parking admission to Ken Reid Conservation Area between 5 and 9 p.m. for the month of February will go to support Kawartha Lakes Food Source. As well, visitors are encouraged to drop off non-perishable food donations in the Administrative Centre during regular business hours Monday to Friday. Visitors can also make monetary donations directly to Kawartha Lakes Food Source by scanning the QR code at the entrance of the Love Bright trail

“We had such an amazing response to the Illuminated Forest in December at Ken Reid Conservation Area,” Virgoe says. “We’re excited to be able to work with the Kawartha Lakes Food Source to create the Love Bright Trail and provide a new heart-warming experience for visitors.”

On Wednesday, February 8th from 7 to 8:15 p.m., Unwrapped (112 Kent St. W., Lindsay) will be offering a Vinyasa Flow yoga class. Admission is a food or monetary donation to Kawartha Lakes Food Source. All levels, from beginner to advanced, are welcome to join but must bring their own yoga mats.

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On Valentine’s Day (Tuesday, February 14th), Kawartha Lakes Food Source is hosting a “Valentine’s Day Paint Night” at its distribution centre (164 Needham St., Lindsay). Participants will enjoy snacks, beverages, and a painting lesson from a professional artist.

Tickets are $55 per person and includes all materials, food, and drinks. They can be purchased online at eventbrite.ca/e/523780570787 or in person at the distribution centre.

Wrapping up Love Month is a food drive at the Kawartha Lakes Food Source distribution centre (164 Needham St., Lindsay) from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, February 25th.

"Love Month" runs during February 2023, with a series of events Kawartha Lakes Food Source is hosting with local businesses and organizations. The campaign intends to raise wareness about food insecurity in the City of Kawartha Lakes while also providing the community with more opportunities to donate, during one of the months when the non-profit food distribution organization feeds the most people yet receives the fewest donations. (Graphic courtesy of Kawartha Lakes Food Source)
“Love Month” runs during February 2023, with a series of events Kawartha Lakes Food Source is hosting with local businesses and organizations. The campaign intends to raise wareness about food insecurity in the City of Kawartha Lakes while also providing the community with more opportunities to donate, during one of the months when the non-profit food distribution organization feeds the most people yet receives the fewest donations. (Graphic courtesy of Kawartha Lakes Food Source)
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Non-perishable food items like peanut butter, coffee, and condiments are welcome, along with perishable food items including fresh vegetables, eggs, and milk. Personal care or household items are also welcome.

At the food drive, Kindness Bingo participants will have a chance to win two tickets to “Take a Bite Out of Hunger!”, a gala dinner to be held in April at Hobart’s Steakhouse (189 Kent St. W., Lindsay) featuring a new curated menu for the event and a selection of local beer. To be entered into the draw, bring a donation and completed Kindness Bingo card to the February 25th food drive.

To learn more about about Kawartha Lakes Food Source or Love Month, visit kawarthalakesfoodsource.com.

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