The Peterborough Police Service has launched a new 2023 fundraising calendar featuring the dogs of its canine unit and victim services.

The calendar was unveiled at an announcement at the Water Street police station on Thursday afternoon (November 17) that included representatives from the K9 unit and victim services as well as the Peterborough Humane Society, the beneficiary of the calendar.

The calendar includes photos of all three police service dogs on the K9 unit — Isaac, Gryphon, and Mag — along with their human handlers, police constables Bob Cowie and Dillon Wentworth. The calendar also includes photos of facility dog Pixie and her handler Alice Czitrom.

“This project has been in the works since January,” said acting police chief Tim Farquharson. “We feel it’s a neat way to connect with our community and share the great work our canine officers and their handlers do each shift. It’s also important for us to give back to our community. As such, the proceeds from the sale of the calendars will go to the Peterborough Humane Society’s Animal Care Centre.”

The calendar also includes the latest statistics on the work of both K9 unit and facility dog Pixie in Victim Services, as well as a section dedicated to past police service dogs and handlers.

The cost of the calendar is $20, with all proceeds going to the Peterborough Humane Society for the new Peterborough Animal Care Centre.

“We are so thankful for community partnerships such as this one with Peterborough Police Service,” said Peterborough Humane Society executive director Shawn Morey. “We are excited to not only have the new Peterborough Animal Care Centre highlighted in the 2023 calendar but for the funds to also be supporting Our Pet Project capital campaign to build the new centre.”

Construction of the new centre is expected to be completed by the end of the year, with a soft opening in January. Peterborough Animal Care Centre will include a spay-and-neuter clinic, an education and adoption centre, and a state-of-the-art dog rehabilitation centre in partnership with the Ontario SPCA and Humane Society. It will be a community hub as it includes an off-leash dog park, private event space, and patio.

Calendars can be purchased online at www.peterboroughpolice.com and picked up at the police station between 8 a.m. and 7 p.m..

Indigenous advocate Mkwa Ghiizis is the recipient of the YMCA of Central East Ontario’s 2022 YMCA Peace Medal.

Mkwa, whose Anishinaabemowin name means “bear moon” and whose colonial name is Crystal Hebert, is a two-spirit Annishnaabekwe from Wasauksiing First Nation who has been living and working in the Nogojiwanong-Peterborough community since 2006. In addition to being an advocate, Mkwa is also a water protector, artist, and intersectional feminist.

For the YMCA, “peace” is more than just the absence of violence and conflict: it means developing fairness, inclusion, empathy, security, and respect for diversity. The charity use peace as an acronym for the values of participation, empathy, advocacy, community, and empowerment.

The YMCA presents Peace Medals to individuals or groups who — without any special resources, status, wealth, or position — demonstrate a commitment to those values through contributions made within their local, national, or global community. The Peace Medals are presented every year during YMCA Peace Week, which takes place this year from November 12 to 19.

“The YMCA recognizes Mkwa’s work in Nogojiwanong as a fearless advocate and voice for those experiencing systemic failures,” reads a YMCA media release. “They are the founder of Tweak Easy, a safe and judgement-free, grassroots overdose prevention site, as well as the organizer of rallies, vigils and marches.”

“They have held costume drives for children experiencing homelessness and emergency community meetings that bring members and organizations together to find grassroots solutions to the opioid crisis and homelessness. They focus on low-barrier access to ceremony, medicines, and supporting people experiencing systemic failure as well as those who use drugs or engage in sex work from an Indigenous Harm Reduction approach.”

Mkwa has previously worked for the YES Shelter for Youth and Families, the United Way of Peterborough & District, the Nogojiwanong Friendship Centre, and as an independent speaker or consultant.

“The recipient of the YMCA Peace Medal demonstrates that peace has many dimensions,” says YMCA of Central East Ontario David Allen. “They show us the importance of building community, where people feel that they belong and are included. Most often their actions started small and grew into something bigger than themselves. That is the power of peace.”

Mkwa will be presented the 2022 YMCA Peace Medal at a ceremony at noon on Thursday, November 24th at the YMCA Balsillie Family Branch at 123 Aylmer Street South in downtown Peterborough. The event is free and open to the public, and a light lunch will be served.

A pedestrian is dead after being struck by a tractor-trailer Wednesday night (November 16) on Highway 7 east of Keene Road just outside Peterborough city limits.

According to the Peterborough County OPP, the vehicle collided with the pedestrian at around 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday.

The pedestrian was pronounced dead at the scene.

On Friday (November 18), police identified the victim as 30-year-old Shanaqua Lawrence of Peterborough.

Highway 7 was closed between Lancaster Road and Keene Road for several hours while police documented the scene.

Anyone who may have witnessed or has video/dash camera footage and has not spoken with police is asked to contact the Peterborough County OPP at 1-888-310-1122.

John Caldwell, a long-time volunteer at Lang Pioneer Village Museum in Keene, has received the Volunteer Service Award of Excellence from the Ontario Museum Association.

The 2022 Awards of Excellence were presented at the Ontario Museum Association’s 50th anniversary annual conference last Monday (November 7) at the Art Gallery of Hamilton.

The Volunteer Service Award of Excellence recognizes an individual who has made a significant contribution to a museum or museums through volunteer work.

Caldwell began volunteering at Lang Pioneer Village Museum in the early 2000s, after being a regular visitor with his family since the mid-1990s.

“John is a remarkable example of a volunteer who is not only passionate about his work but is able to effortlessly share and inspire his work and interests in others,” reads a description on the Ontario Museum Association’s website. “He is able to connect with a diversity of visitors and audiences, fostering their curiosity by having them ask questions and trying things out for themselves. He is always having visitors engage with the history of the Peterborough County and directly participate in the museum’s demonstrations.”

Between 2015 and 2020 alone, Caldwell contributed more than 6,000 hours of volunteer work at the museum. He is an interpreter involved in various aspects of the museum’s operation, including grounds maintenance, education, recruitment, training, sales, and even modelling for event advertisements.

His most substantive contribution has been leading the power and equipment club, which has completed many restoration projects. Caldwell and other club members have restored various objects and structures, allowing for a more immersive and interactive visitor experience at the museum.

“Because of the work that John has done, we don’t just get to see an authentic piece of farm equipment, we get to see an authentic piece of farm equipment work in the way that it would have when it was built,” says Jennifer Crilly-Glover, volunteer coordinator at Christian Horizons. “Not only are we seeing genuine pieces of our history, we’re seeing them restored to their original glory, allowing the visitor a fully immersive experience. This is why Lang is amazing and a volunteer like John is so needed.”

Other recipients of the Ontario Museum Association’s excellence awards include Sarah Quinton of the Textile Museum of Canada (Distinguished Career), Nahed Mansour of the Royal Ontario Museum (Promising Leadership, with an honourable mention to Madeline Smolarz of Oakville Galleries), Oil Museum of Canada for Exhibition & Building Renewal (Exhibitions, with an honourable mention to Canadian Clay and Glass Gallery for Disruption), and Niagara-on-the-Lake Museum for “Making Her Mark: The Women of Niagara-on-the-Lake” (Publications).

The new council for the City of Kawartha Lakes was sworn in and held its inaugural meeting on Tuesday (November 15) at City Hall in Lindsay.

Elected on October 24, the new council consists of Mayor Doug Elmslie and councillors Emmett Yeo (Ward 1), Pat Warren (Ward 2), Mike Perry (Ward 3), Dan Joyce (Ward 4), Eric Smeaton (Ward 5), Ron Ashmore (Ward 6), Charles McDonald (Ward 7), and Tracy Richardson (Ward 8).

“These eight individuals and I are the electors’ choice to be the municipal leaders for the next four years,” Mayor Elmslie said. “We are mothers, fathers, grandparents, business owners, community volunteers, educators, activists, and — above all else — we are passionate champions of this beautiful place we call home. It is a responsibility we do not take lightly.”

“Some of us have been on council previously, and we know many of the challenges that lie ahead, from balancing budgets to juggling multiple committee meetings to making time to hear from constituents,” Elmslie added. “Others are brand new to this role. I look forward to hearing their fresh insights. It is only by challenging the way we have always done things that we can improve. Kawartha Lakes is a municipality that has shown its commitment to continuous improvement and I know this council will embrace that value.”

Elmslie also outlined the priorities for the new council, including the 2023 budget, investing in roads and infrastructure, working with other levels of government for affordable housing, ensuring and supporting healthy community growth, and looking after the environment.

Ward 8 councillor Tracy Richardson, who was deputy mayor for the prior council in 2022, was acclaimed as deputy mayor for another one-year term.

“Customer service and communications are critical to our residents,” Richardson said. “We’ve built a lot of momentum with education and communication in the past, and are currently reaching out to residents about their customer experience on the Jump In website.”

“We need to make decisions based on what our community needs. I’m really excited to see what four years looks like from now. We’re going to be bigger and stronger than we are now.”

The city’s chief administrative officer Ron Taylor shared greetings and congratulations on behalf of Haliburton-Kawartha Lakes-Brock MP Jamie Schmale and MPP Laurie Scott, as well as Premier Doug Ford and Curve Lake First Nation Chief Keith Knott, before introducing council to the city’s senior staff.

“City staff are looking forward to working with you Mr. Mayor, and councillors, to implement our collective mission to deliver the highest standard of municipal services while creating a healthy and sustainable future for all Kawartha Lakes residents and businesses,” Taylor said.

The inaugural meeting began with a procession accompanied by town crier Athol Hart and musician Martin Neuland, with the proceedings officiated by Superior Court Justice Drew S. Gunsolus and musical performances provided by the ReUnion Choir of Fenelon Falls.

The next council meeting takes place at 1 p.m. next Tuesday (November 22).

Environment Canada’s winter weather travel advisory for the Kawarthas region is continuing for Wednesday morning (November 16).

The winter weather travel advisory is in effect for all of Peterborough County, the City of Kawartha Lakes, Hastings County, and Northumberland County.

In addition to the 5 to 10 cm of snow that fell in the region overnight on Tuesday, Environment Canada is calling for another 2 to 5 cm by noon on Wednesday for what it describes as “the first significant snowfall of the season.”

This snowfall is due to a low pressure system that will continue to track northeast across the region today. The heaviest snow will taper off by noon, with a lower chance of flurries throughout the afternoon and evening.

The snow could create hazardous driving conditions during the morning commute, with slippery roads and poor visibility due to heavy snow at times.

Be prepared to adjust your driving with changing road conditions. Take extra care when walking or driving in affected areas. Slow down driving in slippery conditions. Watch for taillights ahead and maintain a safe following distance. If visibility is reduced while driving, slow down, watch for tail lights ahead and be prepared to stop.

The annual Kawartha Rotary Christmas Auction returns on Monday (November 21), this year raising funds for the railway replacement project at Peterborough’s Riverview Park and Zoo.

Bidding for the online auction organized by the Rotary Club of Peterborough Kawartha opens at 11 a.m. on Monday at www.kawartharotaryauction.com and continues until 5 pm. on Sunday, December 4th.

The auction features hundreds of items donated by local businesses and organizations, including children’s toys and games, clothing and accessories, electronics, books, gift cards to local businesses and restaurants, theatre tickets, home appliances and decor items, and more.

Proceeds from the auction will support the Peterborough Kawartha Rotary Club’s commitment for the railway replacement project at Peterborough’s Riverview Park and Zoo.

The much-loved miniature train ride, which runs during the zoo’s summer season, was founded in 1974 by James Hamilton and features a miniature replica of an 1860 locomotive (nicknamed “Rosco”). The train ride is a popular attraction among the zoo’s quarter of a million annual visitors, with 10,000 to 60,000 people riding the train each season.

Income from the train ride supports the operating and capital expenditures at the park and zoo, which is operated by Peterborough Utilities Commission and is Canada’s only free-admission accredited zoo. However, both the train locomotive and passenger coaches need to be replaced, and Riverview Park and Zoo is seeking to raise $300,000 for the replacement project.

Bidding for the Kawartha Rotary Christmas Auction at www.kawartharotaryauction.com opens at 11 a.m. on November 21 and closes on December 4 in 20-minute intervals, from 1:20 p.m. until 5 p.m.

Payments can be made via e-transfer to kawartharotaryauction@gmail.com or on-site using cash or debit. Visa and MasterCard will also be accepted, but e-transfers, cash, or debit are preferred to avoid credit card processing fees.

This year’s Kawartha Rotary Auction is sponsored by Stone Guide Realty Limited Brokerage, Park Place Financial, Herod Financial Services, Dan Grady Guarantee Pro Realty Inc. Brokerage, ISL Insurance Brokers, Comstock-Kaye Life Celebration Centre, and Nexicom.

The Rotary Club of Peterborough Kawartha was established in 1989 and held its inaugural Christmas Gift Auction in 1994, raising $6,965. Originally broadcast on television, the auction went online only in 2008. Last year’s auction raised $17,000 to support Rotary’s donation toward the Peterborough Humane Society’s new animal care centre.

For more information on the Rotary Club of Peterborough Kawartha, visit kawartharotary.com.

For more information on Riverview Park and Zoo, and to donate to or sponsor the railway replacement project, visit www.riverviewparkandzoo.ca.

This branded editorial was created in partnership with Rotary Club of Peterborough Kawartha. If your business or organization is interested in a branded editorial, contact us.

The 2022 Tim Hortons Smile Cookie campaign has raised a record $92,608.26 for Community Care Peterborough.

The fundraising total was revealed on Tuesday morning (November 15) at the Peterborough office of Community Care, a registered charity empowering seniors and adults with physical challenges in the city and county of Peterborough to live at home by providing services including transportation, Meals On Wheels, and more.

The funds will support Community Care’s “Give A Meal” and “Give A Drive” programs, which subsidizes the cost of meals and transportation for clients in financial need.

“We are awe-struck with this year’s result,” says Community Care’s executive director Danielle Belair in a media release. “We cannot say thank you enough to our communities, the local Tim Hortons teams, and our volunteers who together made this happen for us.”

During this year’s campaign, which ran from from September 19 to 25, 100 per cent of the proceeds of sales of Smile Cookies at participating local Tim Hortons restaurant in Peterborough, Lakefield, Bridgenorth, and Curve Lake were donated to Community Care .

The 2022 Tim Hortons Smile Cookie campaign raised a record-breaking $15 million across Canada, with the $92,608.26 raised locally also a new record.

“(It was) our best year ever and 100 per cent of the sales of cookies were donated to Community Care,” says Mary Blair, co-owner of the Tim Hortons on Hunter Street East in Peterborough. “People also made donations in lieu of purchases and this is included in this $92,608.26 total too.”

VIDEO: Community Care’s 2022 Smile Cookie Campaign