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Sarah Quick brings British panto magic back to Bobcaygeon with ‘Jack and the Beanstalk’

By Megan Gallant -
Globus Theatre in Bobcaygeon is presenting the traditional British panto "Jack and the Beanstalk," a comic retelling of the classic fairytale by artistic director Sarah Quick, from December 3 to 17, 2025. Quick, who both watched and performed in pantos during her childhood in England, has written and produced Globus Theatre's panto every year for almost two decades, most recently including (left to right, top and bottom) 2021's "Mother Goose," 2022's "Cinderella," 2023's "Puss in Boots," and 2024's "Aladdin." (kawarthaNOW collage of photos courtesy of Globus Theatre)

Holiday pantos were a formative tradition for Sarah Quick when she was growing up in England and, since founding Bobcaygeon’s Globus Theatre with her husband James Barrett in 2003, she has aspired to make the same impact on children who take to the stage or sit in the audience for the professional theatre company’s annual holiday show.

The artistic director of Globus Theatre has written and produced a traditional British panto every year for almost two decades, inviting the whole family to engage in the traditional holiday fun of her childhood.

This year is no exception, with Globus presenting Jack and the Beanstalk from December 3 to 17, with seven performances for area school groups and eight public performances.

Sarah Quick as the Wicked Stepmother and Rebecca Anne Bloom as Cinders in "Cinderella," Globus Theatre's 2022 traditional British panto that also featured community actors including participants in Globus Theatre's School of Dramatic Arts. (Photo courtesy of Globus Theatre)
Sarah Quick as the Wicked Stepmother and Rebecca Anne Bloom as Cinders in “Cinderella,” Globus Theatre’s 2022 traditional British panto that also featured community actors including participants in Globus Theatre’s School of Dramatic Arts. (Photo courtesy of Globus Theatre)

“When we talk about accessible theatre and theatre for everyone, that’s what a panto is because it’s for all generations,” says Quick. “It appeals to the very little ones, to grandma and grandpa, and everybody in between.”

For Quick, who hails from northern England, being involved in a panto with her church theatre group as a child was not only synonymous with the holiday season, but led her on the path to working in theatre.

“It was where I learned what performing could be, and it was where I learned that it was something I could do reasonably well which, at that age, was quite an exciting discovery,” says Quick, adding that a role in a panto was also her first professional gig in London’s West End after she graduated from theatre school.

A Christmas Pantomime colour lithograph bookcover from England in 1890 and a cover of pantomime text for Jack and the Beanstalk at the Theatre Royal in London's Drury Lane in 1899. Evolving from a form of Italian theatre that made its way to Britain, pantomime had become a staple of London theatres by the early 18th century and, during the Victorian era, grew in popularity to become the holiday tradition that continues to this day. (Public domain photos)
A Christmas Pantomime colour lithograph bookcover from England in 1890 and a cover of pantomime text for Jack and the Beanstalk at the Theatre Royal in London’s Drury Lane in 1899. Evolving from a form of Italian theatre that made its way to Britain, pantomime had become a staple of London theatres by the early 18th century and, during the Victorian era, grew in popularity to become the holiday tradition that continues to this day. (Public domain photos)

Very popular in the United Kingdom, a panto (from the word pantomime) is a family-friendly musical comedy, usually based on a classic fairytale and staged during the lead-up to Christmas. Evolving from a form of Italian theatre that made its way to Britain, pantomime had become a staple of London theatres by the early 18th century and, during the Victorian era, grew in popularity to become the holiday tradition that continues to this day.

“You can go your local church hall or your local seaside theatre, and the prices are designed for the entire family to go and have a day out,” Quick says of pantos in England. “All the theatres are packed. It’s a really exciting time, so that’s what I wanted to bring here.”

One reason for the enduring popularity of traditional British pantos is because their storylines appeal to children while adults enjoy humour and innuendos that the children in the audience don’t get.

“I think in more recent years, Disney has done that quite well, where some movies are ostensibly for kids but the adults can get the slightly more risqué comments, the slightly cleverer wordplay, or the political jokes,” says Quick. “Those are there for the adults and go over the kids’ heads, which makes it a lot of fun for everybody.”

A classic British panto also invites audience participation, such as booing when the villain comes on stage. This tradition, says Quick, is one that Globus Theatre audiences have grown to love since the theatre company staged its very first panto in 2006.

The cast of Globus Theatre's 2021 holiday panto "Mother Goose". The Bobcaygeon theatre company is presenting its traditional British panto "Jack and the Beanstalk," a comic retelling of the classic fairytale by artistic director Sarah Quick, from December 3 to 17, 2025. Traditional British pantos are fun for the whole family because the storylines appeal to children while adults enjoy the jokes and innuendos that go over the head of children in the audience. (Photo: Dahlia Katz)
The cast of Globus Theatre’s 2021 holiday panto “Mother Goose”. The Bobcaygeon theatre company is presenting its traditional British panto “Jack and the Beanstalk,” a comic retelling of the classic fairytale by artistic director Sarah Quick, from December 3 to 17, 2025. Traditional British pantos are fun for the whole family because the storylines appeal to children while adults enjoy the jokes and innuendos that go over the head of children in the audience. (Photo: Dahlia Katz)

“It was quite funny because the first time, when the evil person came on, all the English people in the audience knew to boo heavily, and you could see all the Canadians looking around asking ‘What’s going on?’ and thinking this is not appropriate theatre behaviour,” Quick recalls with a laugh. “Now everybody knows — as soon as the villain comes on, you hiss and you boo. They’re prepared for audience participation.”

This year, Globus is presenting an original retelling of a classic fairytale with Jack and the Beanstalk. Though audiences may be familiar with the story — Jack sells a cow for some magic beans that grow into a towering beanstalk leading to the realm of a giant, from whom Jack steals treasures to help his poor widowed mother — there are many unique surprises, new characters, and fun twists in Quick’s comical rendition.

“You won’t know exactly who is in Jack and the Beanstalk and exactly what happens,” she says of the Globus version. “In our Jack and the Beanstalk, it’s the Baron Dithers who is trying to evict Dame Trott from the Dottie Dale Dairy and he sent his henchmen to do the job for him.”

Quick herself will be playing Poison Ivy, the giant’s evil sidekick who has her own gremlins. And, once again, Globus Theatre’s artistic producer James Barrett will portray the Dame, a classic role in traditional pantos that’s played by a man wearing heavy makeup and flamboyant women’s clothing.

Toronto-based actor Katherine Cappellacci as Snow White with Globus Theatre co-founder and artistic producer James Barrett as the Dame in Globus Theatre's 2017 British panto "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs." Barrett has taken the role of the Dame since the theatre company began staging pantos in 2006 and will be doing so during "Jack and the Beanstalk," running from December 3 to 17, 2025. (Photo: Sarah Quick)
Toronto-based actor Katherine Cappellacci as Snow White with Globus Theatre co-founder and artistic producer James Barrett as the Dame in Globus Theatre’s 2017 British panto “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.” Barrett has taken the role of the Dame since the theatre company began staging pantos in 2006 and will be doing so during “Jack and the Beanstalk,” running from December 3 to 17, 2025. (Photo: Sarah Quick)

“The first time James played a Dame, he was putting on the dress and said ‘Are you sure this is traditional in England?'” Quick recalls. “Now if we did not give him the Dame role, he would be absolutely gutted. He loves it.”

Quick and Barrett will be joined by fellow panto regular Kevin Sepaul along with Hayden DiMarco, a recent graduate of the Randolph College for the Performing Arts in Toronto.

“We always bring in somebody who has just graduated theatre school and is embarking on their professional career,” Quick says. “The kids get to talk to them about what it’s like to go on to further education at theatre school and start a job as an actor. It’s great to be able to give that emerging artist a gig, but it’s also really cool for the kids to see theatre as a career option.”

This is important to Globus Theatre because there will be upwards of 40 children involved in Jack and the Beanstalk, both on and off the stage.

Young performers rehearsing for Globus Theatre's traditional British panto "Jack and the Beanstalk," a comic retelling of the classic fairytale by artistic director Sarah Quick, from December 3 to 17, 2025. Around 40 local children and youth will be involved in the production, both on and off the stage. (Photo courtesy of Globus Theatre)
Young performers rehearsing for Globus Theatre’s traditional British panto “Jack and the Beanstalk,” a comic retelling of the classic fairytale by artistic director Sarah Quick, from December 3 to 17, 2025. Around 40 local children and youth will be involved in the production, both on and off the stage. (Photo courtesy of Globus Theatre)

“It’s not about being a perfect performer or being extremely skilled in certain areas — it’s about being yourself on stage,” Quick says. “My job is to give kids that huge amount of confidence that they can perform, and they can create this environment where they have 150 people laughing because of something they said.”

The opportunity to perform in the panto reflects Globus Theatre’s aim to foster a love of performance in children and youth in Kawartha Lakes.

“It’s important for them to know that they can go on and be an actor if they want to be and if they have that ability,” she explains. “But regardless, even in just the moment, they’ve found their happy place. They’re in a safe place to create and be alongside each other.”

The stage will see performers from as young as six to those into their eighties, as the panto will also include the community choir from Globus Theatre’s season-opening show, Desperate to be Doris. Called the Bobcaygeon Sound Collective, the choir is becoming a vibrant part of the theatre’s productions.

A rehearsal for the Bobcaygeon Sound Collective, a community choir organized by Globus Theatre for the theatre company's season-opening production of "Desperate to be Doris." The choir will be once again taking to the stage during the Globus Theatre's holiday panto "Jack and the Beanstalk," a comic retelling of the classic fairytale by artistic director Sarah Quick, from December 3 to 17, 2025. (Photo courtesy of Globus Theatre)
A rehearsal for the Bobcaygeon Sound Collective, a community choir organized by Globus Theatre for the theatre company’s season-opening production of “Desperate to be Doris.”
The choir will be once again taking to the stage during the Globus Theatre’s holiday panto “Jack and the Beanstalk,” a comic retelling of the classic fairytale by artistic director Sarah Quick, from December 3 to 17, 2025. (Photo courtesy of Globus Theatre)

Throughout the panto’s run, Globus Theatre will also be performing the panto for 1,200 students as school groups come from Fenelon Falls, Bobcaygeon, Omemee, and beyond for private showings.

“I love the career that I have — I love the opportunities it’s afforded me,” Quick says. “Being able to go to work each day and feel like you’re enjoying what you do, having fun, and making an impact is massive.”

“If I can give one kid a year that sort of feeling, that this is something that they could go on and do, that would be tremendous.”

A traditional British panto, Globus Theatre is presenting "Jack and the Beanstalk" from December 3 to 17, 2025 in Bobcaygeon, including includes seven performances for area school groups and eight public performances. (Graphic courtesy of Globus Theatre)
A traditional British panto, Globus Theatre is presenting “Jack and the Beanstalk” from December 3 to 17, 2025 in Bobcaygeon, including includes seven performances for area school groups and eight public performances. (Graphic courtesy of Globus Theatre)

Jack and the Beanstalk runs for eight public performances, opening at 7 p.m. on Friday, December 5 with additional evening performances at 8 p.m. on December 6 and December 12 and 13 and 2 p.m. matinee performances on December 6 and 7 and December 13 and 14.

For a full festive night out, an optional three-course Christmas dinner is available before all evening performances. For those looking to host a holiday celebration for family, friends, or employees, group bookings are also available.

“Coming to see this high energy panto is a great way to get into that holiday spirit,” says Quick. “Everybody is having a ball.”

Tickets are $35 for adults and $22.50 for children 16 and under for the show only, or $85 for adults and $42.50 for children 10 and under for dinner and the show. Tickets can be ordered online at globustheatre.com/shows-all/jack-and-the-beanstalk. For more information on group bookings, call the box office at 705-738-2037 or 1-800-304-7897.

 

This branded editorial was created in partnership with Globus Theatre. If your organization or business is interested in a branded editorial, contact us.

The Illuminated Forest returns for its fourth year at Ken Reid Conservation Area near Lindsay

By kawarthaNOW -
The Illuminated Forest at Ken Reid Conservation Area near Lindsay is open nightly from 5 to 9 p.m. from December 12 to 28, 2025, with free public transit from Lindsay to Ken Reid and back available on December 12 and 13 and 19 and 20. (Photo: Kawartha Conservation)

The Illuminated Forest is returning for its fourth year to Ken Reid Conservation Area near Lindsay, with a new opportunity to help even more residents experience it.

Kawartha Conservation first created the holiday tradition, which sees trees decorated with thousands of lights, in 2022. This year, the front trails of the forest will be transformed into a glowing winter wonderland nightly from 5 to 9 p.m. from Friday, December 12 to Sunday, December 28.

Visiting Ken Reid Conservation Area is free, although there is a $4 parking fee per vehicle. Parking is available in both the main parking lot at the dog park and at the administration building parking lot as needed.

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To make the Illuminated Forest accessible to even more residents, Kawartha Conservation and the City of Kawartha Lakes are partnering to provide free public transit between Lindsay and Ken Reid Conservation Area on Friday and Saturday, December 12 and 13 and again on Friday and Saturday, December 19 and 20.

On those dates, buses will depart from the rear parking lot at Canadian Tire at 377 Kent Street West in Lindsay to Ken Reid every hour starting at 4:30 p.m., with the last departure at 7:30 p.m. Buses will depart from Ken Reid back to the Canadian Tire parking lot every hour starting at 5 p.m., except for the final departure which will be at 8:30 p.m. instead of 8 p.m.

Kawartha Conservation is asking residents who have enjoyed the Illuminated Forest and would like to see it continue as a holiday tradition to consider making an online donation.

New pilot program at Northumberland Hills Hospital recognizes essential role of caregivers in patient care

By Natalie Hamilton, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter -
Members of the Northumberland Hills Hospital and Ontario Health Team Northumberland's Essential Care Partner (ECP) Working Group, an interdisciplinary team of people with experience in primary care, nursing, allied health, social work, home care, and clinical information, as well as ward clerks, those in leadership positions, volunteers, and people with lived experience. The group co-designed the ECP pilot program, which officially acknowledges the vital role of caregivers in a patient's healthcare journey, and will monitor the program with guidance from the Ontario Caregiver Organization. (Photo: Northumberland Hills Hospital)

As a full-time caregiver himself, Howard Goodfellow is excited to see a new program launch at Northumberland Hills Hospital in Cobourg that officially acknowledges the role of caregivers in a patient’s healthcare journey.

The hospital and Ontario Health Team Northumberland have launched a new pilot program, with guidance from the Ontario Caregiver Organization, called the Essential Care Partner (ECP) program. The first of its kind in Northumberland County, the program formally recognizes the role of caregivers in the hospital setting.

Goodfellow is a volunteer with Ontario Health Team Northumberland’s Experience Partner Council, launched in 2021 to give patients and caregivers a voice in local priorities for healthcare and community care services. He is also part of the ECP working group, whose members helped design and will monitor the pilot project.

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“I think the ECP program will be vital to strengthening trust between families and the care team, reducing caregiver stress, and connecting caregivers with resources to assist them in navigating their caregiver journey,” Goodfellow said in a media release. “I am really pleased to see this program come to Northumberland and hope to see it expand beyond the pilot and throughout the county.”

Ontario Health Team Northumberland executive lead Andrea Groff shared her thoughts with kawarthaNOW about the value of the pilot and her hopes for its outcome.

“At its heart, this pilot is about recognizing the essential role that care partners play in a patient’s journey,” Groff said. “By formally including care partners as part of the care team, we hope to not only support caregivers in the vital work they do every day but strengthen communication leading to improved patient experience and outcomes.”

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The ECP program, which recognizes one or two essential care partners who have been chosen by the patient, has three key pillars: identify the caregiver, include them as part of the care team, and support the caregiver.

Launched at Northumberland Hills Hospital in early November, the ECP program is now available to all admitted patients on the hospital’s first floor (1A/1B) units, inclusive of restorative care, inpatient rehabilitation, integrated stroke, and palliative care.

Participation is optional, and essential care partners do not replace professional staff roles.

Building on lessons learned from the pandemic, essential care partners will receive training and personal protective equipment in the event of an outbreak to enable them to continue to have access to the patient they support in alignment with infection prevention and hospital policies.

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Jennifer Gillard, Northumberland Hills Hospital’s vice-president of patient experience, public affairs and strategic partnership, said the ECP pilot program builds on informal practices already in place at the hospital “to formally acknowledge the critical role caregivers play in supporting patients.”

Executive sponsor of the pilot project, Gillard acknowledged the work of the interdisciplinary ECP working group, which includes people with experience in primary care, nursing, allied health, social work, home care, and clinical information, as well as ward clerks, those in leadership positions, volunteers, and people with lived experience.

“There is much wisdom in this group and our pilot will be stronger because of the input that was so generously shared,” Gillard noted.

According to Groff, patient and caregiver partners identified the ECP program as a priority in the early days of Ontario Health Team Northumberland. She said she looks forward to seeing the impact of the program on patients, caregivers, and providers.

“Success for us will mean that patients and their care partners feel valued, informed, and supported,” Groff said. “Our hope is that this approach becomes a model we can expand across Northumberland, creating a more consistent, compassionate care experience for everyone.”

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Now that the pilot is underway, upon admission to one of the 1A/1B units at Northumberland Hills Hospital, patients will be invited to identify the caregiver or caregivers who are important to them. Essential care partners can be family members, friends, or paid caregivers, who may or may not also be substitute decision makers or have powers of attorney.

Once identified as participants in the ECP program, caregivers will receive a badge identifying them as part of the care team. They will receive support in the form of resources, training, and materials to assist in their caregiving.

More information about the Essential Care Partner pilot program is available on the Northumberland Hills Hospital website at nhh.ca/patients/essential-care-partner-pilot-program.

Québécois vocal quartet Quartom joins the Peterborough Symphony Orchestra for annual holiday concert

By Megan Gallant -
The Peterborough Symphony Orchestra (PSO) will be joined by Québécois vocal quartet Quartom (baritone Benoit Le Blanc, bass-baritone Philippe Martel, tenor Joé Lampron-Dandonneau, and baritone Julien Patenaude) for "Quartom Sings Noël," the PSO's annual holiday concert on December 6, 2025 at the Emmanuel United Church. The quartet will perform a mix of French versions of familiar Christmas carols, carols popular in Quebec, and English-language family favourites, with the orchestra also playing works by Russian composer Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, French composer Georges Bizet, and Canadian composer Ronald Royer. (Photo: Antoine Duguay)

With help from the Peterborough Symphony Orchestra (PSO), you can celebrate the holiday season by not only hearing your favourite Christmas songs but by being introduced to some you may never have heard before — including some popular festive French tunes.

Taking place at 7:30 p.m. on December 6 at Emmanuel United Church in downtown Peterborough, “Quartom Sings Noël” will see Québécois vocal quartet Quartom perform with the orchestra.

“This is a great way to hear an orchestra for the first time,” says PSO music director and conductor Michael Newnham. “The holiday concerts are very special because they’re usually designed so that somebody who might never have heard a symphony orchestra before would feel comfortable coming. It’s really great for people of all ages and backgrounds — it’s very accessible even for a very young person under the age of 10.”

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Formed in 2008, Quartom is an a cappella vocal quartet comprised of classically trained musicians. The founder is baritone Benoit Le Blanc, who began his training as a chorister and soloist with Les Petits Chanteurs du Mont-Royal. He then studied at the Université de Montréal, where he obtained a master’s degree in vocal performance. Known as a performer of French and religious music, he has recorded several CDs and has sung with several ensembles.

For fellow baritone Julien Patenaude, music is in his blood. He was introduced to music by his mother Thérèse at four years old and later sang for 10 years at Les Petits Chanteurs du Mont-Royal under the direction of his father, conductor and composer Gilbert Patenaude, who founded the Laval Symphony Orchestra. He continued his musical training at the Conservatoire de musique de Montréal, the University of Toronto, and McGill University, and has since worked as a soloist and chorister with several ensembles in Quebec and teaches, directs, and works in stage production.

Bass-baritone Philippe Martel began his musical training with the Maîtrise des petits chanteurs de Québec before studying administration in university. He registered at the Cégep Sainte-Foy in music and earned a bachelor’s degree in vocal performance from McGill University. He regularly performs as a soloist with various ensembles and with the Opéra de Montréal.

The newest member of the group, tenor Joé Lampron-Dandonneau, earned a master’s degree in vocal performance from the University of Victoria before completing vocal studies at McGill University. He obtained a graduate diploma in vocal performance in the class of soprano Dominique Labelle and was a finalist for the prestigious 2019-2020 Wirth Vocal Arts Prize. He has worked with numerous choirs and previously held a position with the Orchestre symphonique de Montréal.

VIDEO: “Minuit, chrétiens” – Quartom (with tenor Kerry Bursey)

Newnham previously worked with the group in 2019 when he was asked to conduct a holiday concert for the Kamloops Symphony Orchestra in British Columbia and Quartom were the special guests.

“They were absolutely delightful to work with,” he recalls. “These operatically and classically trained singers have beautiful arrangements and are very witty and charming, and the way that they held the audience — absolutely non-Francophones — in their hands for two consecutive concerts in B.C. was extraordinary.”

“These gentlemen just exude charm and they’re brilliant singers. They’re high quality and so I was always looking for the chance to work with them again.”

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Instead of the PSO’s usual venue of Showplace Performance Centre, the concert is being held at Emmanuel United Church which, according to Newnham, “is a really great place to do something with the human voice because it projects really well.”

During the concert, the audience will hear Quartom perform French versions of familiar carols, including “Vive le vent” (the French version of “Jingle Bells”), “Minuit, chretien” (“O Holy Night”), and “Les anges dans nos campagnes” (the hymn “Gloria in excelsis Deo,” often called “Angels We Have Heard on High”).

The quartet will also introduce the audience to carols that are popular in Quebec, including “Nouvelle agréable” and “Dans une étable obscure.”

There will also be some English-language family favourites like “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” and “12 Days of Christmas,” as well as less commonly heard carols like the African-American spirituals “Go Tell it on a Mountain” and “Mary Had a Baby.”

VIDEO: “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” – Quartom (with tenor Kerry Bursey)

As well as accompanying Quartom, the PSO will be performing the waltz from Russian composer Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s Sleeping Beauty as well as the Carillon and the Farandole from French composer Georges Bizet’s L’Arlésienne suites — classical music that is often heard around Christmas.

There will also be music from Canadian composer Ronald Royer, who researched Canadian Christmas carols and holiday traditions for Canada’s 150th anniversary in 2017 and subsequently composed the “Fantasia on Canadian Christmas Carols” for orchestra.

Royer’s piece includes “The Huron Carol,” written by a Jesuit missionary at Sainte-Marie among the Hurons in Ontario in the 17th century and considered the first Canadian Christmas carol, “The Cherry-Tree Carol,” a traditional English carol from the early 15th century that found a new melody and lyrics in Canada, “Il est né, le divin Enfant,” a traditional French carol that travelled to Canada and became part of French-Canadian Christmas celebration, and “La Guignolée,” a French medieval tradition that travelled to Canada with the first French settlers and became popular in Quebec and parts of the Maritimes.

“The Huron Carol we all know, but there are other ones that we sometimes forget about,” says Newnham.

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“There’s a big smorgasbord of different things,” says Newnham of the holiday concert. “But this is very much a Canadiana kind of concert. It’s charming, fun, and the orchestra itself is better than ever, so I’m always looking forward to doing things with them.”

While there will be no audience sing-along at the end of this year’s concert, Newnham assures Quartom has ways of inviting audience participation. In addition, a cider reception will follow the concert.

“However people are getting prepared for the holidays, however they celebrate them, they will feel they’re being led in emotionally and spiritually,” says Newnham. “A symphony orchestra does that in a way that I think is extremely special.”

Depending on the seat you choose, tickets are $60.04, $52.84, or $38.42 (all fees included) with student tickets costing $16.79 for all seats. Tickets are available at thepso.org/quartom.

 

kawarthaNOW is proud to be a media sponsor of the Peterborough Symphony Orchestra’s 2025-26 season.

Habitat for Humanity Northumberland dedicates new home for multi-generational family of six in Cobourg

By Natalie Hamilton, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter -
Habitat for Humanity Northumberland CEO Cathy Borowec (far right) with members of the Molaski family (James, Jack, Elizbeth, Peter, and Sarah) during an event on November 13, 2025 to celebrate the completion of the single detached home for the multi-generational family. (Photo courtesy of Habitat for Humanity Northumberland)

The Molaski family will soon have the keys to their own home in Cobourg, as Habitat for Humanity Northumberland unveiled the newly constructed dwelling for the multi-generational family of six on Thursday (November 13).

Habitat for Humanity Northumberland board members, volunteers, and staff joined the Molaskis, community members, neighbours, and local politicians to celebrate the completion of the single detached home.

The Molaski family is comprised of Elizabeth, four children, and Elizabeth’s father Peter.

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The dedication ceremony was a memorable experience for Cathy Borowec, Habitat for Humanity Northumberland’s CEO.

“It feels good,” Borowec told kawarthaNOW.

“It is Habitat’s intention to scale up where possible on the land that is available for building. In this particular neighbourhood, with the size of the home required to meet the needs of the future owners, it was a single family home that could fit. Nonetheless, a Habitat for Humanity home dedication is always a success as we help a family into homeownership from their often sub-standard, unaffordable rental home.”

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In 2023, Habitat Northumberland received the donation of the property from the Town of Cobourg. Construction began in March 2024, coinciding with Habitat’s seven-unit build in Baltimore.

At the beginning of 2025, the Habitat for Humanity Northumberland team set a goal to complete eight homes in one calendar year.

It was something “we have not set our sights on before,” Borowec noted. “That goal pushed us to work differently, to build smarter, and to engage even more volunteers and partners. The result is that more families, like Elizabeth’s, are gaining the stability and security of affordable homeownership right here in their own communities.”

The Government of Canada has committed $882,000 through the Affordable Housing Fund under the National Housing Strategy toward Habitat for Humanity Northumberland projects, including this Cobourg home.

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As new Habitat homeowners, the Molaski family, together with friends and extended family, has contributed more than 500 volunteer hours in the Habitat ReStore and at the build site.

After being approved into the Habitat homeownership program, the family patiently waited for a suitable project to become available that could accommodate their multi-generational household and meet their unique needs for a home.

“The support from our community to bring a Habitat home to completion and the number of individuals who contribute is cause for celebration,” Borowec said of Thursday’s dedication. “For these people to meet and hear from the future homeowners is part of the reward for their work.”

As for the Molaskis, Borowec said “The family is so excited as the move-in date approaches and that is lovely to experience.”

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Founded in 1998, Habitat for Humanity Northumberland is one of 44 local Habitats working in Canada and part of the not-for-profit network of Habitat active in more than 70 countries worldwide.

Families and individuals who are in need of a hand up partner with Habitat for Humanity to build or improve a place they can call home. Habitat homeowners help build their own homes alongside volunteers and pay an affordable mortgage.

The Molaskis are the 78th family to partner with Habitat for Humanity Northumberland since 1998.

Shop the Boro: Save money and the planet by trading in your outdoor gear at Wild Rock Outfitters in downtown Peterborough

By Megan Gallant -
Rob Arkell of Wild Rock Outfitters takes a look at clothing brought in by a customer to the trade-in desk for the downtown Peterborough outdoor gear retailer's Wild Again program. Customers can trade in their lightly used premium gear for store credit, which can be used to purchase new or used products or donated to the company's ComPassion Project. The Wild Again program not only makes high-quality outdoor clothing and equipment more affordable for other customers, but diverts items from the landfill and reduces the demand for new production. (Photo: Jeff Faulds / Wild Rock Outfitters)

For the betterment of the planet and your wallet, Wild Rock Outfitters in downtown Peterborough has launched the ‘Wild Again’ program, inviting outdoor adventurers across the country to trade in lightly used premium apparel and equipment in exchange for store credit.

A popular retailer of specialty outdoor gear, clothing, and equipment rentals in downtown Peterborough, Wild Rock was founded by outdoor enthusiasts Scott Murison and Kieran Andrews in 1992 with a mission to get people to “Go Out and Play.”

That’s exactly what the Wild Again program aims to do, by making making premium outdoor gear more affordable for everyone. One of the few programs of its kind in Canada, Wild Again gives customers store credit for anything from a barely worn fleece hanging in the back of a closet to a tent purchased for a camping trip that hasn’t been pitched in years. Other Wild Rock customers can then purchase the traded-in items at a lower price point.

“If you spend a rainy day finding the stuff you no longer wear, we can get it into the hands of somebody who’s going to actually use it — and who maybe couldn’t afford it brand new,” says Murison. “It opens up a lot of these really good quality clothing items to a group that might not otherwise be able to afford it.”

Wild Rock is accepting clothing, footwear, tents, sleeping bags, cross country ski gear, and backpacks. In the future, they hope to accept bulkier items like bicycles, kayaks, and canoes, but are not accepting these items at the current time.

All traded items must be clean and in good condition, undamaged and unaltered, and from an acceptable quality brand. This includes select brands that aren’t typically sold by the retailer.

Arc'teryx and Patagonia are two of the in-demand premium outdoor clothing brands accepted by the Wild Again trade-in program at Wild Rock Outfitters in downtown Peterborough. Wild Again supports the circular economy by giving high-quality outdoor gear a second or third life, keeping it out of landfills and reducing the demand for new production, while also making the gear more affordable for those who want to "Go Out and Play." (Photo: Jeff Faulds / Wild Rock Outfitters)
Arc’teryx and Patagonia are two of the in-demand premium outdoor clothing brands accepted by the Wild Again trade-in program at Wild Rock Outfitters in downtown Peterborough. Wild Again supports the circular economy by giving high-quality outdoor gear a second or third life, keeping it out of landfills and reducing the demand for new production, while also making the gear more affordable for those who want to “Go Out and Play.” (Photo: Jeff Faulds / Wild Rock Outfitters)

Along with making premium outdoor gear more affordable, the Wild Again program supports the circular economy by keeping items out of landfills and lowering the demand for new production.

“Every piece of clothing we give a second life is one less piece of clothing that would otherwise end up in the landfill, and one less new piece of clothing that has to be manufactured,” says Murison. “If we can keep this stuff being used in a circular way, then there’s less being produced, less going to the landfill, and more enjoyment coming out of the same amount of product.”

For a list of brands and categories accepted, visit wildrock.net/pages/in-store-trade-ins, where you can also get a quick estimate of your gear’s eligibility and value.

Local customers can bring their items to the store during business hours for an assessment. Gear can also be traded in from anywhere across Canada using shipping materials provided by Wild Rock. Clothing that cannot be resold through Wild Again will be donated to an appropriate organization like a charity or sports club.

Credit from the trade-in can be used in store or online to purchase new or used gear, or can be donated to the ComPassion Project. The store’s non-profit initiative supports local partner organizations that are active in fighting for social justice and equity, or that strive to protect the outdoor spaces and recreational areas of Peterborough County. To learn more, visit wwwcompassionptbo.ca.

Located at 169 Charlotte Street in downtown Peterborough, Wild Rock Outfitters is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Mondays to Fridays, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturdays, and noon to 4 p.m. on Sundays.

 

Shop The Boro is a branded editorial feature series about locally owned independent businesses in downtown Peterborough, created in partnership with the Peterborough Downtown Business Improvement Area (DBIA).

The Boro - Peterborough Downtown Business Improvement Area

With a Boro gift card, supporting locally owned businesses in downtown Peterborough has never been easier. Buy a Boro gift card for your family, friends, or co-workers and let them choose their own adventure. Whether it’s a delicious meal and a night out, a one-of-a-kind find, or a day of relaxation, it’s truly the gift of possibility. You choose the value, they choose the gift.

With a Boro gift card, you are giving more than just a gift — you’re also supporting the people and places that make Peterborough/Nogojiwanong a truly special place to work, live, and play. Shop, dine, and explore the core with Boro gift cards, available online at theboro.ca/product/the-boro-gift-cards/.

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Centre & Main Chocolate Co. in Warkworth crafts stunning artisan chocolate using unexpected locally sourced products

By Megan Gallant -
At Centre & Main Chocolate Co. in Warkworth, award-winning chocolatier Angela Roest (second from right) and her team (Lisa Giraldi, Martin Albert, and Brenna Card) craft artisan chocolate bars, bonbons, and other treats using unique locally sourced products like kimchi, popcorn, and bee pollen. (Photo: Gary Mulcahey)

Popcorn, kimchi, bee pollen, and mustard are just a few of the many one-of-a-kind ingredients you’ll find in the artisan chocolate made at Centre & Main Chocolate Co. in Warkworth.

What’s more, all these unique ingredients are sourced locally.

With the innovation and artistry that comes from designing flavours like “The Sushi Bar” and “Toffee & Potato Chip,” you might not expect that chocolatier and owner Angela Roest came upon her passion for chocolate, as she says, “by accident.”

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After realizing being a professor was no longer what she wanted, despite working towards a career in academia, Roest first began making jewellery.

“I had always loved working with my hands, but it wasn’t something that I had really nurtured through the years because I was going to be an academic,” she says. “I always loved food, and I had always loved cooking and fashion.”

Since knitting wire for jewellery was hard on her hands, Roest began working at Naked Chocolate in Peterborough in the afternoons and, soon enough, the spare time she spent thinking about jewellery designs and patterns slowly morphed into time spent thinking about caramel recipes and chocolate designs.

VIDEO: “Meet the Makers of Kawarthas Northumberland: Centre & Main” (2021)

While taking intensive courses through the Chocolate Academy in Montréal, Roest studied under chocolatiers from France, Belgium, and elsewhere in Europe. After opening Centre & Main Chocolate Co. in 2017, she discovered a disconnect between how she was sourcing ingredients for her business and how she was sourcing ingredients for her family.

“One of the things that I realized when I was shopping for the chocolate shop was that I’d be getting fruits — like passion fruit and guava and lychee — from all of these really wonderful faraway places and putting them in different caramels and ganaches,” she says. “But when I’d be shopping for my own family, I’d be going to farmers’ markets and getting things that are grown around here.”

“These two worlds just didn’t seem to mesh in any way. There wasn’t any crossover, and I couldn’t figure out why these two worlds were so far apart, flavour wise and ingredient wise.”

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That’s when Roest began thinking about ways to incorporate local ingredients in her chocolate.

“I’ve done what the Europeans did 150 years ago, by looking around here and putting things in chocolate that grow around us,” she says. “Farm to table is really popular in many areas of culinary arts, but not really in chocolate.”

Roest explains one reason for this is that much of the food grown locally is largely water-based, which can’t be put into the cocoa butter required in a chocolate bar because “it’s like mixing water and oil.” It would be straightforward to put them into bonbons, which she does have at the store, but chocolate bars have always been her main passion.

“Bonbons are wonderful and they’re delightful and they are gorgeous and beautiful, but from a day-to-day basis, I wanted something that I could put in my bag,” she says. “I could have a bit now as I’m driving, have a little bit more while I’m walking around. It’s something that you could snack on rather than just enjoying as one moment of pleasure.”

Through her products at Centre & Main Chocolate Co. like these caramel and ganache-filled bonbons, award-winning chocolatier Angela Roech aims to craft chocolates that are as visually appealing as they are delicious, saying "you eat first with your eyes." (Photo courtesy of Centre & Main Chocolate Co.)
Through her products at Centre & Main Chocolate Co. like these caramel and ganache-filled bonbons, award-winning chocolatier Angela Roech aims to craft chocolates that are as visually appealing as they are delicious, saying “you eat first with your eyes.” (Photo courtesy of Centre & Main Chocolate Co.)

The very first thing she purchased when beginning Centre & Main Chocolate Co. was a freeze dryer, a machine that takes a food product’s temperature down to minus 40 degrees to remove all the moisture through the process of sublimation.

“If you put in a strawberry, it looks exactly like it did before. It has the colour and it has 97 per cent of the nutritional value, but it’s light as air because the water is out,” Roest says.

“It’s not a chemical approximation of what a strawberry tastes like. It’s the real strawberry, and it’s a local strawberry. And it’s a strawberry with 97 per cent of all the nutrients that you would get from eating a strawberry. Freeze-drying is a better nutritional preservation method than canning or freezing.”

The strawberries come from Brambleberry Farm, located in Wooler in Quinte West, and paired with local saffron from the now-closed True Saffron in Warkworth and rhubarb from Art Farm Produce in Brighton to create the Saffron Strawberry Rhubarb Bar, which won a silver medal in the International Chocolate Awards, 2018 Canadian Competition.

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While each chocolate bar is precisely crafted and artfully designed now, they haven’t all come out perfectly on the first try. Roest shares how she was determined to use the sourdough from My World Kitchen in Brighton, despite discovering that freeze drying didn’t work.

Eventually, Roest learned to slice it thinly, toast it deeply, and grind it into caramelized white chocolate. Paired with Darjeeling tea, it now makes up the Tea & Toast Bar, a silver medallist in the International Chocolate Awards, 2019 Canadian Competition, and a winner of the Innovation in Chocolate Award.

“I must have gone through six or seven different experiments of how to use her bread,” Roest says. “It’s one of our most popular bars. The texture is great, the flavour is amazing, and people are happy they have an excuse to have chocolate for breakfast.”

Located at 50 Centre Street in Warkworth, Centre & Main Chocolate Co. was founded in 2017 by Angela Roest, who says she came to be a chocolatier "by accident." While designing jewellery, she worked part time at a chocolate shop in Peterborough which led her to take intensive courses through the Chocolate Academy in Montréal. (Photo courtesy of Centre & Main Chocolate Co.)
Located at 50 Centre Street in Warkworth, Centre & Main Chocolate Co. was founded in 2017 by Angela Roest, who says she came to be a chocolatier “by accident.” While designing jewellery, she worked part time at a chocolate shop in Peterborough which led her to take intensive courses through the Chocolate Academy in Montréal. (Photo courtesy of Centre & Main Chocolate Co.)

Roest is currently in the process of expanding her plant-based and vegan collections, which use rice milk, almond milk, oat milk, and hazelnut milk in place of dairy milk. This also took a lot of experimentation because the amount of fat differs in comparison to dairy milk.

“It’s a scientific and intuitive process to get the math right so that the proportions are in line with what you would expect for milk and white chocolate,” Roest says. “To have the flavours come through is another challenge, so it was really exciting to create that collection.”

Centre & Main Chocolate Co. now has more than 60 flavours across its “Great Wall of Chocolate,” but with special and seasonal collections, Roest guesses they have crafted more than 150 different chocolate bars.

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Located in a renovated Masonic lodge, the shop has high ceilings and a “gravitas” that Roest wanted to feature, making Centre & Main Chocolate Co. resemble more of a gallery than a retail shop. The space also lends itself to education with panels about the history of chocolate and encouraging people to think about how they engage with the products.

“It invites people to think about chocolate in a different way — as something that can be savoured and enjoyed, rather than just to be eaten haphazardly without any care to the ingredients, how it was made, or where it came from,” Roest says.

“You eat first with your eyes. If something is beautiful and interesting to look at, it’s already intriguing and draws you in. I apply that thinking to the creation of my chocolate. I make it beautiful so that you can enjoy it visually before all the other senses.”

For more information about Centre & Main Chocolate Co. and to purchase products, visit centreandmainchocolate.com.

Centre & Main Chocolate Co. in Warkworth resembles a gallery more than a chocolate shop, as all products are on display and there is educational information provided. The shop has more than 60 flavours on the Great Wall of Chocolate, though it has created over 150 unique chocolate bars including seasonal and special collections. (Photo courtesy of Centre & Main Chocolate Co.)
Centre & Main Chocolate Co. in Warkworth resembles a gallery more than a chocolate shop, as all products are on display and there is educational information provided. The shop has more than 60 flavours on the Great Wall of Chocolate, though it has created over 150 unique chocolate bars including seasonal and special collections. (Photo courtesy of Centre & Main Chocolate Co.)

Salvation Army Peterborough launches fundraising campaign as charity sees record demand for Christmas help

By Natalie Hamilton, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter -
The Salvation Army Peterborough has launched its "Hope for All Seasons" fundraising campaign, which includes a mail-out appeal and the Christmas kettle program. The funds raised from the campaign support the charity's year-round programs, including the breakfast program and food bank. (Photo courtesy of Salvation Army Peterborough)

When The Salvation Army Peterborough recently opened its phone lines for its annual Christmas assistance program, workers received more than 500 voicemails from people in need.

The charity is once again seeing a record demand as its launches its annual “Hope For All Seasons” fundraising campaign. The 2025 Christmas appeal calls on the community to help ensure Peterborough residents stay fed, warm, and cared for over the holidays.

The Salvation Army Peterborough is hoping for a similar response from community members as it received last year through its holiday letter appeal and Christmas kettle campaign.

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In 2024, total donations exceeded the campaign goals, allowing The Salvation Army to reach more families and individuals than ever before. However, with growing line-ups outside the charity’s food bank and breakfast programs at 219 Simcoe Street in Peterborough, the need continues to rise.

Naomi Dalley, the Salvation Army officer who oversees the services of the Peterborough community ministries department, told kawarthaNOW the organization’s goal this year is to raise $675,000 through the Hope for all Seasons and kettle fundraising campaigns.

“The underlying reason we do what we do is to help people realize that there is a hope beyond their current circumstances,” Dalley said. “Our greatest satisfaction comes when we get to see the joy of giving experienced by each donor and the impact of the gifts on families in our community.”

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Dally added that people who want to help can also register as a volunteer with the Christmas kettle campaign at salvationarmy.ca/kettle-application/

The need in Peterborough has been growing steadily for several years. In 2023 alone, the Salvation Army’s food bank saw a 74 per cent increase in clients. Numbers rose again in 2024 and have continued to trend upward through 2025.

“We are so grateful for the support of the Peterborough community,” said JoAnne Leach, Christmas support worker for The Salvation Army Peterborough, in a statement. “We’re hoping to see that same community spirit continue this season. There are new faces here every day, people just looking for a bit of help to get them through the month.”

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Leach said the donations received at Christmas account for the majority of The Salvation Army Peterborough’s annual budget.

While the focus of the Hope For All Seasons and Christmas kettle campaigns is on helping those in need during the holidays, donations support programs throughout the year including supplying clothing and furniture, emergency assistance, trustee services, criminal justice supports, youth camps, the food bank, and daily breakfast programs.

As well as donating money, people also donate toys, hand-knit hats, mitts and socks, non-perishable food, or their own time as volunteers.

Another opportunity to support the Salvation Army campaign is during the Peterborough Petes’ annual Teddy Bear Toss game, scheduled for Thursday, December 11 at the Peterborough Memorial Centre when the Petes face off against the Windsor Spitfires. New stuffed toys thrown on the ice during the game will be donated to the Salvation Army.

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“There are so many fun ways for people to get involved,” Leach said. “Every year we see schools, churches, families, and businesses come up with creative ways to help.”

Some donors are people who once received help themselves from the Salvation Army.

“You can’t always tell who’s struggling,” Leach said. “It might even be someone living next door.”

Know Your Locals: Spring Berriman rebrands her Peterborough psychotherapy practice to Rhapsody Psychotherapy & Counselling

By Megan Gallant -
Peterborough psychotherapist Spring Berriman (back, second from left) has rebranded her practice to Rhapsody Psychotherapy & Counselling to represent that therapy is often raw, honest, and human. In-person in Peterborough and online across Ontario, Spring and her team offer therapy services for men and women, children and teens, couples and families, and the LGBTQIA2S+ community using a holistic approach and a range of modalities. (Photo courtesy of Rhapsody Psychotherapy & Counselling)

A new name is the only change you’ll find at the Peterborough psychotherapy clinic directed by Spring Berriman. Now called Rhapsody Psychotherapy & Counselling, the clinic continues to offer clients its holistic approach to therapy with a focus on connection and accessibility.

Open to in-person sessions at 129 Murray Street in Peterborough and virtual sessions to clients across Ontario, Rhapsody’s new name exemplifies what the therapy experience at the clinic is like: raw, honest, and human.

“The word rhapsody really highlights the human experience of living day-to-day, but also of doing therapy,” says Spring. “Therapy is free flowing, it’s effervescent, it can be very spontaneous — and that’s what rhapsody means.”

With services available for men and women, children and teens, couples and families, and the LGBTQIA2S+ community, Rhapsody works with those struggling with anxiety, depression, and other emotional wellness needs, as well as neurodivergence, trauma, relationships, self-esteem, and beyond.

Setting Rhapsody apart from other clinics is that each of the psychotherapists uses a range of modalities and takes an holistic approach that’s tailored to meet each client’s unique needs and preferences.

No matter the method used, Rhapsody makes building connections and trust with their clients a priority, along with providing a compassionate space for them to heal. To ensure the appointment is as comfortable as it can be, clients are even encouraged to bring their well-behaved dogs — after all, Spring says, “a wagging tail can say a lot more than words ever can some days.”

Building connections and trust with clients is a priority at Peterborough's Rhapsody Psychology & Counselling, along with providing a compassionate space for them to heal. To ensure the appointment is as comfortable as it can be, clients are even encouraged to bring their well-behaved dogs. To make therapy accessible to everyone, the clinic offers free 30-minute consultations, sliding-scale pricing, and the Financially Accessible Therapy program. (Photo courtesy of Rhapsody Psychotherapy & Counselling)
Building connections and trust with clients is a priority at Peterborough’s Rhapsody Psychology & Counselling, along with providing a compassionate space for them to heal. To ensure the appointment is as comfortable as it can be, clients are even encouraged to bring their well-behaved dogs. To make therapy accessible to everyone, the clinic offers free 30-minute consultations, sliding-scale pricing, and the Financially Accessible Therapy program. (Photo courtesy of Rhapsody Psychotherapy & Counselling)

“One of the things we really foster in the clinic is connection, not just with our clients but with each other as therapists,” Spring says. “We’re a pretty tight-knit group of therapists and we all really love working together and being in the office together and having a really nice, safe space to work.”

Joining Spring in the practice are associates Sarah Beardy, Veronica Lai, Shylo Heayn, David Kraft, Sarah Walton, Kelly O’Hearn, Joel Routliff, Kalyssa Matheson, Stephanie Kennedy, and Kristen Williams, along with client and admin support person Castin Marlow. Rhapsody can also support Toronto clients in person, with David working out of two offices close to Bloor and Spadina.

To make therapy more accessible to anybody who needs it, Rhapsody offers sliding-scale pricing for individual, couple, and family psychotherapy based on client needs.

The clinic also offers Financially Accessible Therapy, a low-cost service provided by student therapists and intern-associates. These interns are only available to work with adults and cannot support severe symptoms, major trauma, or crisis. The service is available to those with little or no benefits, those on a limited income, and those who otherwise would not be able to access therapy.

The clinic offers direct billing to most major insurance providers, and some smaller ones too. Free 30 minute consultations are also offered and encouraged to interested clients. To learn more about Rhapsody Psychotherapy & Counselling, visit ontariotherapists.com or call 647-296-9235.

 

Know Your Locals™ is a branded editorial feature about locally owned independent businesses and locally operated organizations, and supported by them. If your business or organization is interested in being featured in a future “Know Your Locals” branded editorial, contact Jeannine Taylor at 705-742-6404 or jt@kawarthanow.com or visit our Advertise with kawarthaNOW page.

Northumberland Paramedics selling calendars featuring Ivy the therapy dog to raise money for local charities

By Natalie Hamilton, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter -
Northumberland Paramedics is selling a 2026 calendar featuring images of its therapy dog, golden retriever Ivy Joules. All proceeds from sales of the calendar will be donated to Cornerstone Family Violence Prevention Centre and the Northumberland Humane Society. (Photo: Northumberland County)

Ivy Joules, the Northumberland Paramedics therapy dog, regularly spreads joy to the paramedics and patients she meets, and now all community members can bring some of that puppy love into their own homes.

Northumberland Paramedics is once again offering a calendar featuring photos of Ivy in a fundraiser aimed at spreading smiles and boosting community spirit.

According to a media release, the 2026 calendar features “adorable, festive, and playful photos” of the golden retriever, with all proceeds from sales donated to Cornerstone Family Violence Prevention Centre and the Northumberland Humane Society.

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“This initiative follows the success of our inaugural therapy dog calendar fundraiser in 2024, which enabled us to purchase 50 holiday meals for seniors and community members in need this winter,” stated Northumberland Paramedics Chief Susan Brown.

“We are excited to announce that all proceeds from this year’s new and enhanced calendar will go to Cornerstone Family Violence Prevention Centre and the Northumberland Humane Society. The calendar will feature beautiful professional photography, generously provided by Sit and Paws Studio in Cobourg, including adorable images of Ivy showcasing her festive spirit and vibrant personality.”

Ivy’s role with Northumberland Paramedics is to foster wellness and connection by offering comfort to paramedics after challenging 911 calls, visits with community paramedicine clients in their homes, and bringing cheer to both employees of Northumberland County and members of the community.

Golden retriever Ivy Joules, therapy dog for the Northumberland Paramedics, during a photo shoot for the 2026 fundraising calendar. (Photo: Jill Clark / Sit and Paws Studio)
Golden retriever Ivy Joules, therapy dog for the Northumberland Paramedics, during a photo shoot for the 2026 fundraising calendar. (Photo: Jill Clark / Sit and Paws Studio)

The pup was named Ivy Joules to reflect tools used in emergency care: “Ivy” for IV therapy and “Joules” for the unit of energy used in defibrillation.

She came to Northumberland Paramedics in 2023 as a puppy, when she was under a year old.

Brown told kawarthaNOW the pup has received a warm reception from paramedics, staff, community members, and others from the onset of joining the team.

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The chief said the idea of having a therapy dog on staff crossed her mind before the COVID-19 pandemic. Brown went ahead and bought a dog, Baxter, but with the restrictions of the pandemic, there wasn’t access to the necessary training. He became her pet instead.

“When we came out of COVID, we thought, what could be a better time,” Brown said. “I think we all came out of COVID all a little bit more stressed.”

Then in 2024, as a way to further spread joy, Northumberland Paramedics launched the first calendar fundraiser.

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The 2026 calendars are $20 each and can be ordered online for a limited time.

Residents are asked to order by 8 p.m. on Sunday, November 23 at northumberland.ca/ivycalendar.

All orders must be picked up at Northumberland County headquarters at at 555 Courthouse Rd. in Cobourg, between Decemeber 8 and 19.

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