If you receive a Porch Pirates for Good flyer for the May 14, 2022 food drive, attach it to your bag of donated non-perishable food items on your front porch so volunteers can see it. The flyer design was again donated by Amy LeClair Graphic Design with printing by Package Plus. (Photo: Kawartha Food Share / Facebook)
Peterborough’s Porch Pirates for Good are springing into action on Saturday (May 14) with another porch food drive to restock the dwindling shelves at Kawartha Food Share.
People who are not ill or in self-isolation are asked to leave a bag of non-perishable food items on their front porch.
Beginning at 9 a.m., volunteers will drive around the city, collect the donated items, and deliver them to the Kawartha Food Share warehouse.
Advertisement - content continues below
The rising cost of food along with supply-chain shortages have affected Kawartha Food Share’s clients, donors, and the organization’s own purchasing power, according to a media release.
Making matters worse, the demand for food supports has also grown over the pandemic, with Kawartha Food Share now supporting 51 local organizations in the city and county of Peterborough — 14 more than they were supporting before the pandemic.
Needed food items include peanut butter (Kawartha Food Share suppliers are out of stock), canned fruit, canned tuna, individually wrapped school snacks, pasta and pasta sauce, easy-to-cook items that kids like such as mac and cheese, breakfast cereal, gluten-free items such as pasta, canned vegetables, rice, and canned soup and stew. Other needed items include feminine hygiene products, baby formula, and diapers.
Advertisement - content continues below
Those who are ill or who can’t donate food items can also help by making a monetary donation at kawarthafoodshare.com/donations.html. For every $1 donated, Kawartha Food Share can purchase up to $6 worth of food.
The organizers behind Porch Pirates for Good have held four porch food drives since the pandemic began, bringing in more than 100,000 pounds of food and over $10,000 in monetary donations for Kawartha Food Share.
A couple enjoys the view of Little Lake under the tree canopy at Beavermead Park in Peterborough. (Photo: City of Peterborough)
The City of Peterborough and a group of environmental and other organizations are hosting a free family-friendly event on Saturday (May 14) to underscore the importance of restoring the urban tree canopy in the city.
‘Trees for Canopy Conservation’ takes place from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Beavermead Park in Peterborough. As part of the event, the city will be giving away 300 trees to property owners (one per household) who previously registered for the giveaway on April 21. The free trees are intended to replace some of the healthy trees that are removed by residents for various reasons under the city’s tree removal by-law.
Presented by the city and For Our Grandchildren (4RG), partner organizations for Saturday’s event include GreenUP’s Ecology Park, The Sacred Water Circle, Otonabee Region Conservation Authority, Peterborough Youth Empowerment, Peterborough Alliance for Climate Action, Camp Kawartha, Kawartha Land Trust, Peterborough Kawartha Rotary, and Catchacoma Forest Stewardship Committee.
Advertisement - content continues below
“I am delighted that the 300 trees on offer from the city were spoken for so quickly,” says 4RG president Guy Hanchet in a media release, referring to the fact all 300 trees were assigned to registrants within the first two hours of registration. “It indicates a high level of interest from citizens who want to fight climate change and restore the tree canopy.”
Along with giving out the 300 trees to registrants, the city and GreenUP’s Ecology Park will be providing a presentation on care and planting of trees.
4RG will be providing information on the value of trees and how they help with climate change with interactive tables, as well as a ribbon tree and a display to learn more about different types of trees and the wood they provide.
Advertisement - content continues below
Children can have fun learning about trees while watching Glen Caradus’s Paddling Puppeteer show and listening to some of his merry tunes. There will also be a craft table with tree-themed activities.
Camp Kawartha will have an interactive table, and The Sacred Water Circle will provide a First Nations perspective and drumming.
The Cabin at the entrance to Beavermead Park at 2011 Ashburnham Road will be open for food, and attendees can also visit Enniskillen General Store in Marsdale Plaza across from Beavermead Park for an ice cream cone.
Bass Lane Quarry is a natural limestone quarry located off County Road 49 around 15 kilometres north of Bobcaygeon. (Photo: Buckhorn Sand and Gravel website)
Police have released the name of the victim of a fatal worksite accident at a quarry site north of Bobcaygeon in the Municipality of Trent Lakes on Tuesday morning (May 10).
According to Peterborough County OPP, officer responded to a report shortly after 6:45 a.m. of unresponsive men at 400 Bass Lane, a natural limestone quarry operated by Buckhorn Sand and Gravel off County Road 49 around 15 kilometres north of Bobcayegon.
“The initial investigation revealed that the victims had been trapped between two vehicles,” reads an OPP media release.
Advertisement - content continues below
One man was pronounced dead at the scene. On Friday (May 13), police identified the victim as Dustin Aubrey, 20, of North Kawartha Township.
A second man was transported to a local hospital with serious injuries before being flown by air ambulance to a Toronto-area hospital.
The Ontario Ministry of Labour, Training and Skills Development is investigating the cause of the accident with assistance from the Office of the Chief Coroner for Ontario.
This story has been updated with the name of the victim.
St. Catherine Catholic Elementary School is located at 1575 Glenforest Boulevard in Peterborough. (Photo: St. Catherine Catholic Elementary School)
Peterborough police are investigating an act of vandalism at St. Catherine Catholic Elementary School at 1575 Glenforest Boulevard that they have classified as a hate bias crime.
The vandalism took place sometime over the weekend and was discovered by school staff on Monday (May 9) before the start of the school day.
“School staff arrived early this morning to find anti-black, homophobic and other profane messages spray painted on the exterior of the school and portables,” reads an email from acting school principal Karen Procyk sent to parents on Monday. “Fortunately, school staff were able to cover the messages before students arrived this morning.”
Advertisement - content continues below
Share on Bluesky
Procyk adds the board’s facility services would work to remove the graffiti as soon as possible.
“As a school community dedicated to creating a safe, inclusive, and loving learning environment, we are shocked and saddened that this has occurred,” Procyk’s email reads. “Whether the vandalism was perpetrated by someone outside our school community or within, we take this opportunity to fully condemn racism, homophobia, discrimination and hate in all its forms.”
“Our school board is committed to eliminating all forms of discrimination and to embed equity and inclusive education, anti-racism, human rights, and Indigenous education into all its policies, procedures, programs, operations, and practices.”
Advertisement - content continues below
“This sort of activity is not only disappointing to see but has no place in our community,” says acting police chief Tim Farquharson in a statement.
“We know that many groups including the police service are working in their own ways to foster a more inclusive and accepting community. We are committed to continuing those efforts.”
Anyone with any information about the incident is asked to contact the school, the Peterborough Police Service at 705-876-1122 x555, or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or online at www.stopcrimehere.ca.
The audience at Trent University during a debate on the environment involving Peterborough-Kawartha candidates in the 2019 federal election. The provincial election debate on the environment and climate change on May 12, 2022 will be livestreamed on YouTube. (Photo courtesy of For Our Grandchildren)
Peterborough-Kawartha candidates in the upcoming provincial election will be debating environment and climate change on Thursday evening (May 12), with the debate livestreamed on YouTube.
The debate organizers — For Our Grandchildren (4RG), Peterborough GreenUP, Kawartha World Issues Centre, the Federation of Ontario Cottagers Association, and youth activists — invited candidates from the four parties that won seats in the last provincial election, and all the candidates have confirmed their attendance: incumbent Dave Smith of the Conservatives, Greg Dempsey of the Liberals, Jen Deck of the NDP, and Robert Gibson of the Greens.
The Peterborough debate is one of the 100 Debates on the Environment being held across the province by non-profit environmental group GreenPAC.
Advertisement - content continues below
Share on Bluesky
“Climate change is one of the top issues this election, as voters head to the polls on June 2nd,” reads a media release from Peterborough GreenUP, one of the local organizers of the debate. “Making an informed vote about climate action plans in this election is crucial to establishing a strong plan to combat the climate crisis and securing our collective future.”
“The latest reports from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) stated that the time to take action against climate change is ‘now or never.’ In Ontario, development and urban expansion are putting natural spaces and human well-being at risk and continuing to exacerbate climate change.”
“2021 demonstrated what the future holds if no action is taken to address the climate crisis, including heat waves, fires, and floods in Ontario and across Canada. Other provincial issues that are sure to be top of mind for voters this election, including health care and education, are inextricably linked to climate change.”
Advertisement - content continues below
The candidates will debate live from 7 to 8:30 p.m. on Thursday at the Trent Symons Campus Student Centre, with in-person attendance limited to organizers and the media. The public can watch the debate live on the 4RG Meets YouTube channel at youtube.com/channel/UCY7bbdtylxSHozPrAHJ-NFA.
During the debate, organizers will posing a series of written questions candidates will receive in advance, followed by questions submitted by the public.
This is the second debate this week involving Peterborough-Kawartha candidates for the provincial election. On Tuesday night (May 10) from 6 to 8 p.m., the Peterborough and the Kawarthas Chamber of Commerce is hosting a debate on business-related issues.
Six local candidates — incumbent Dave Smith of the Conservatives, Greg Dempsey of the Liberals, Jen Deck of the NDP, Robert Gibson of the Greens, Tom Marazzo of the Ontario Party, and Dylan Smith of the None Of The Above Party— will debate at the Lakefield Legion, with the debate livestreamed on the Chamber’s YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/c/PeterboroughKawarthaChamber.
One person is dead and one seriously injured following a multi-vehicle collision in Peterborough on Monday afternoon (May 9).
Just before 2 p.m. on Monday, a westbound vehicle collided with oncoming traffic at the intersection of Lansdowne Street and River Road South.
Six vehicles were involved in the collision, according to police.
Advertisement - content continues below
A 65-year-old man, who was a passenger in the westbound vehicle, was pronounced dead at the scene. Three other people were taken to hospital, one with serious injuries and two others with minor injuries.
Lansdowne Street from Locke Street to Ashburnham Drive was closed for eight hours for a police investigation.
Peterborough police continue to investigate and are asking anyone with dash cam footage or other video to contact them at 705-876-1122 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or online at www.stopcrimehere.ca.
Nancy Wiskel, owner of Dan Joyce Clothing in Peterborough, has opened DJ Casual Clothing at 126A Burleigh Street in Apsley. The women's clothing boutique offers stylish, casual cothing both for cottagers and residents of North Kawartha. (Photo: Heather Doughty)
Nancy Wiskel, owner of Dan Joyce Clothing in Peterborough, has realized her vision of offering stylish, casual clothing to cottagers and residents in North Kawartha — and just in time for the summer season.
On May 3, Wiskel opened a second location of her popular woman’s clothing store in Apsley.
Located at 126A Burleigh Street, just off Highway 28, DJC Casual Clothing provides the same quality of clothing and customer service as the trademark Peterborough store.
Nancy Wiskel has had a vision of expanding Dan Joyce Clothing beyond Peterborough ever since she purchased the business in 2019 from its previous owners, Dan and Sally Joyce, when the couple retired. On May 3, 2022, she opened DJ Casual Clothing at 126A Burleigh Street in Apsley. (Photo: Heather Doughty)
Share on Bluesky
“Dan Joyce as a brand is a woman’s clothing store for women who are 40 plus and looking for some style in their wardrobe,” Wiskel says. “We look at timeless classics. And with the Dan Joyce brand, it’s not only the quality of clothing we emphasize, but the quality of service as well.”
But while the Peterborough store’s focus is on chic work and city wear, the Apsley store emphasizes stylish, casual attire. Wiskel says the concept behind DJC Casual Clothing is ‘style meets comfort’.
“Just because you’re dressed casually doesn’t mean you can’t be very, very stylish,” Wiskel explains. “So, for example, a more casual cardigan can be done in a stylish way.”
DJ Casual Clothing in Apsley is a boutique clothing shop for women 40 plus who are looking for some style in their casual wardrobe. (Photo: Heather Doughty)
DJC Casual Clothing’s line of effortless and smart leisurewear aims to suit both seasonal cottagers and residents. Wiskel is catering the line to the “stylish woman about town,” describing the clothing as ideal for activities like sipping coffee on the deck, golfing, or even going out for dinner.
“I’ll be bringing in some new brands that really cater well to a casual lifestyle,” she says.
Wiskel has had a vision of growing Dan Joyce Clothing ever since she purchased the business in 2019 from retiring owners Dan and Sally Joyce, who first established the Peterborough store in 1979.
Nancy Wiskel, owner of Dan Joyce Clothing in Peterborough, welcomes customers to DJ Casual Clothing in Apsley. Wiskel opened the second location of her women’s clothing boutique on May 3, 2022, and will be holding a grand opening on the Victoria Day long weekend. (Photo: Heather Doughty)
Share on Bluesky
“I’d known about Dan Joyce’s for years and years,” Wiskel recalls. “My parents have lived in Peterborough for 30 years, and it was a store where my mom shopped. I used to go to the store to pick up some things for her. There was always something about the store that I loved.”
After purchasing the business, Wiskel wanted to build upon the Dan Joyce legacy by expanding beyond Peterborough.
“Dan Joyce’s already had such a great reputation in Peterborough,” Wiskel says. “I thought, ‘How can I take all of the hard work done over the last 40 years with Dan Joyce’s and grow it into another area?'”
DJ Casual Clothing in Apsley offers casual yet stylish clothing for the cottage lifestyle, from sipping coffee on the deck to sitting by the fire to going golfing or heading out for dinner. (Photo: Heather Doughty)
Share on Bluesky
“Over the last couple of years, many people have been spending a lot more time at their cottages,” she adds. “I thought looking for a cottage area would be a smart business move.”
When a location became available in Apsley, Wiskel was able to realize her vision.
The 1,000-square-foot store, With two levels and a fireplace, has a cottage-chic feel that is welcoming to customers.
With two levels and a fireplace in its 1,000-square-foot location, DJ Casual Clothing in Apsley has a cozy, cottage-chic feel that is welcoming to customers. (Photo: Heather Doughty)
“I played off the fireplace in terms of the custom displays and a transaction counter design I had done,” Wiskel says. “When you come into the store, you get that cozy cottage feel.”
As she watched everything come together in the space, Wiskel says opening day was a emotional experience.
“I had this vision of what the store could look like,” she recalls. “The displays came in and then I put all of the clothes in. When you walk in and the vision in front of you is the same vision you had in your head, it gets a bit emotional.”
DJ Casual Clothing in Apsley is open from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday to Sunday until its grand opening on the Victoria Day long weekend, after which it will be open seven days a week through the summer, from 10 a.m. until 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday and from 11 a.m. until 4 p.m. on Sundays. (Photo: Heather Doughty)
According to Wiskel, many customers share her excitement regarding the new store’s atmosphere when they walk through the front doors for the first time. She also says she’s received overwhelmingly positive feedback on the store’s clothing selection and quality.
“One thing that’s been a pleasant surprise is how many people have given me feedback who were existing Peterborough clients,” Wiskel says. “They’re like, ‘Oh, this is so great. I have a cottage in that area. It’d be so nice to have a store that we can go to and that we can bring friends to.'”
Although DJC Casual Clothing is already open for business from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday to Sunday, Wiskel will hold a grand opening on the Victoria Day long weekend — the traditional start of the cottaging season. The store’s grand opening event on May 21 and 22 will include special goodie bags, draws for clothing, and a live remote with Oldies 96.7.
A sample of the casual yet stylish footwear available at DJ Casual Clothing in Apsley just in time for the summer cottaging season. (Photo: Heather Doughty)
After the grand opening, DJC Casual Clothing will be open seven days a week through the summer, from 10 a.m. until 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday and from 11 a.m. until 4 p.m. on Sundays.
Wiskel is excited to be able to expand her business after a couple of challenging years due to the pandemic,
“When you’re at home, you no longer need the wardrobe to support what you’re doing in both both work and social terms,” she explains. “Travel took a big hit as well. It will hopefully be a part of all of our futures again.”
At DJ Casual Clothing in Apsley, you can expect the same commitment to quality clothing and customer service you will find at trademark Dan Joyce Clothing store in Peterborough. (Photo: Heather Doughty)
Share on Bluesky
As a local independent business owner, Wiskel reminds people the benefits of supporting local business extend beyond keeping money in the community.
“When you’re supporting small businesses, especially a boutique business, you’ll have more personalized service and a much better shopping experience,” she notes.
DJC Casual Clothing is located at 126A Burleigh Street in Apsley, with Dan Joyce Clothing’s flagship store located at 87 Hunter Street West in downtown Peterborough. For more information about both locations and to shop online, visit www.djclothing.ca. You can also follow Dan Joyce Clothing on Instagram and Facebook.
This story was created in partnership with Dan Joyce Clothing.
Ukrainian-Canadian comedy superstar Luba Goy is the special guest host of "A Concert of Surprises", the Peterborough Symphony Orchestra's final concert of its 2021-2022 season on May 28, 2022. She will bring her distinctive wit and comedy to a program of joyous music, including Czech composer Antonín Dvorak's Opus 46 No. 1 in C major. (Publicity photo)
For what’s billed as ‘A Concert of Surprises’ late in May, the Peterborough Symphony Orchestra (PSO) will deliver, bringing together not only the most musicians on stage since its March return to performing but the added surprise of beloved Canadian actress and comedian Luba Goy serving as concert host.
Peterborough Symphony Orchestra presents A Concert of Surprises
When: Saturday, May 28, 2022 at 2:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Where: Showplace Performance Centre (290 George St. N., Peterborough) How much: $45 adults, $10 students
Featuring guest host Luba Goy and conductor Michael Newnham. A Maestro Chat is included in each performance. Tickets available at the Showplace box office or online at tickets.showplace.org.
Set for Saturday, May 28th with performances at 2:30 and 7:30 pm, the 2021-22 season finale will see the orchestra, conducted by music director Michael Newnham, perform, among other pieces, Antonin Dvorak’s Opus 46 No. 1 in C major (Furiant).
The piece is one of a series of 16 composed by the Czech composer in 1878 and 1886, following Johanne Brahms’ 1877 recommendation that Dvorak be commissioned to write Slavonic dances for four hands at the piano. Inspired by Brahms’ Hungarian Dances, Dvorak’s pieces are still considered today to be his most memorable works.
Advertisement - content continues below
Tickets for A Concert of Surprises cost $45 ($10 for students) and are available in person at the Showplace box office (290 George St. N., Peterborough) from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday to Thursday or online at tickets.showplace.org or at the box office. Audience members will be required to wear a mask.
In enticing Goy to be involved, the PSO has checked all the boxes towards its goal of “sharing an experience of laughter and delight” with its audience.
For Goy, the opportunity arose in part from her longtime friendship with PSO board member Nancy Westaway who, when president of the Bradford Symphony Orchestra back in the 1980s, asked Goy to help with a fundraiser for that orchestra.
Czech composer Antonín Dvorak with his wife Anna in London, England in 1886. Dvorak composed a series of 16 orchestral pieces known as the Slavonic Dances in 1878 and 1886, which were published in two sets as Opus 46 and Opus 72 respectively. (Public domain photo)
Share on Bluesky
“We maintained contact and became friends, then she moved to Peterborough,” notes Goy, adding ‘She called me and said ‘Nancy here. I need you to host the Peterborough Symphony Orchestra.”
Goya adds it was no-brainer for her to agree to be involved.
“Michael (Newnham) is a genius,” she says, noting she met with him more than two years ago before COVID emerged to discuss this concert.
“Not only that, he’s easy on the eyes. Can I say that? He’s very handsome. He calls me by my Ukrainian name, which is very nice. And I call him Michael.”
“I’m going to host it with all my various characters. Of course, the Queen, her Majesty, will be there — ‘It’s a pleasure to be anywhere Camilla is not.’ I’m very much looking forward to it.”
Advertisement - content continues below
During her guest appearance, Goy will do what she does best: keep things light with the trademark wit and character acting skills that she honed and perfected to the delight of Canadians coast-to-coast-to coast as one of the original members of the long-running CBC radio and television comedy troupe Royal Canadian Air Farce.
In 1973, Goy, alongside Roger Abbott, Dave Broadfoot, John Morgan, Martin Bronstein, and Don Ferguson, formed the original cast of Royal Canadian Air Farce. Their weekly CBC Radio series ended in 1987 while the CBC Television series ran from 1993 to 2008 and, over the years, featured guest appearances by anybody that was a somebody at the time. When a particular show needed a ‘guest’ for a particular sketch, Goy delivered her over-the-top takes on a number of luminaries, from Hillary Clinton to Sheila Copps to Rita MacNeil to Kim Campbell, to name but a few.
In 1998, the original cast members, Goy included, received the Governor General’s Performing Arts Award for Lifetime Artistic Achievement, Canada’s highest honour in the performing arts. In 2000, Royal Canadian Air Farce was awarded a star on Canada’s Walk of Fame. There was even a Juno Award in 1979 for Comedy Album of the Year.
Luba Goy (bottom left) with the original cast of Royal Canadian Air Farce in 1979. Also pictured beside Luba is Roger Abbott, with Don Ferguson, Dave Broadfoot, and John Morgan in the back row. (Photo: Royal Canadian Air Farce)
Reflecting on what made Royal Canadian Air Farce work so well for so long, Goy points to what she terms “a pact” made between the cast members.
“As long as we’re having fun, we’ll stay together. There were times when we would travel and if anybody displayed any kind of diva thing going on, that person would be put in the doghouse. We just loved each other. We were a family.”
Born in Germany to Ukrainian parents and raised in Belgium, Goy came to Canada at age five with her family in 1951. She later graduated from the National Theatre School of Canada in 1969, performing in Stratford productions before joining The Jest Society — a comedy troupe from which Royal Canadian Air Farce evolved — in 1971.
Advertisement - content continues below
Share on Bluesky
With her heritage, events transpiring in Ukraine are never far from her thoughts.
“My parents’ homeland is being needlessly butchered … it’s hard for me to go more than a day without weeping,” says Goy, whose only visit to Ukraine was in 1990 for a film in which she was cast.
“One journalist who lives in Kyiv has been writing Thoughts From Kyiv every single day since the war began. He writes from his point of view, how he feels and how the people feel. It has really taught me so much about my parents’ homeland.”
VIDEO: Dvorak’s Opus 46 No. 1 in C major performed by the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra
Goy is particularly grateful to the PSO for allowing her to use the concert as a platform to appeal for funds to aid humanitarian efforts in Ukraine — an appeal that will take the form of an ad in the concert program.
Now living in Hamilton, a proud mother and grandmother, Goy remains deeply grateful to have been able to do something she loves to do — entertain — in the company of some very special in her life, past and present.
“I never take my success, if you want to call it that, for granted,” she says. “I once said to Roger (Abbott), ‘Oh, this secretary is irreplaceable.’ He looked at me and he said ‘Everyone is replaceable.’ I thought ‘Is he looking at me?'”
“One of the things I’ve always said, when I’m asked which one of the group (Royal Canadian Air Farce) I am, is ‘I’m the funny one.'”
For more information on the Peterborough Symphony Orchestra, including its history and mandate and performance announcements, visit thepso.org.
kawarthaNOW is proud to be a media sponsor of the Peterborough Symphony Orchestra’s 2021-22 season.
The late David and Liz Bierk of Peterborough in an undated photo. Advocates for the arts, their legacy lives on through the Community Foundation of Greater Peterborough's Bierk Art Fund. The annual Bierk Art Fund Bursary Program offers $1,000 bursaries to two graduating high school students who are pursuing post-secondary education in the visual arts.
Applications are now open for the annual Bierk Art Fund Bursary Program, which offers two $1,000 bursaries to graduating high school students in the City or County of Peterborough or Curve Lake and Hiawatha First Nations who are pursuing visual arts studies at a provincially accredited post-secondary institution in the 2022-23 academic year.
Administered by the Electric City Culture Council (EC3), the Bierk Art Fund is an endowment fund at the Community Foundation of Greater Peterborough that was established in 2006 through public donations to honour the lives and work of the late Peterborough arts champions Liz Bierk and her husband, artist David Bierk.
“David and Liz Bierk were generous and dedicated arts supporters who believed wholeheartedly in the potential of local artists and the value of arts education,” says EC3 executive director Su Ditta. “As tuition costs continue to rise, this program provides crucial financial support to promising young artists.”
Eligible students who complete an application will present their work to a jury comprised of respected local arts professionals. The bursaries will be awarded to two students whose work demonstrates great promise (artistic merit) and who have a serious commitment to pursuing further studies in the visual arts.
The two successful candidates will be announced on Tuesday, June 7th and will be celebrated at this year’s Mayor’s Luncheon for the Arts in Peterborough on Friday, September 30th.
Marnie Callaghan is one of the volunteers with the Kawartha Trans Canada Trail Associatiom recognized with an Environmental Hero from the City of Kawarthas Lakes for their work in 2021 to create a pollinator garden at Reaboro Park in Reaboro, between Omemee and Lindsay. (Photo: Elayne Windsor)
The City of Kawartha Lakes’ Environmental Advisory Committee recently announced its 2021 Environmental Heroes Awards.
The awards, which were announced at council’s May 3rd committee of the whole meeting, recognize residents, organizations, and businesses who are committed to improving the wellness of the environment in Kawartha Lakes.
“This past year we saw a variety of nominations and efforts for more sustainable garden projects, tree canopies, sustainable products, waste reduction, and education programs,” said Tracy Richardson, deputy mayor and member of the environmental advisory committee council. “But most importantly, we’re seeing people doing things in their communities and we thank you for that and thank you for being such amazing stewards for the City of Kawartha Lakes.”
Advertisement - content continues below
The awards are presented in three categories: Environmental Hero, Environmental Business Hero, and Environmental Youth Hero.
In the Environmental Hero category, the Kawartha Trans Canada Trail Association led by Marnie Callaghan, Sherry Sutton, and Elayne Windsor was recognized for creating a pollinator garden at Reaboro Park in Reaboro, between Omemee and Lindsay. The garden supports a wide diversity of life and provides a spot of interest along the trail.
Richard and Sadie Gauder were recognized for for starting the organization Plant A Forest to work with landowners, farmers, and conservation areas to plant indigenous plants and help create biodiversity. John Ireland was recognized as the founder of the non-profit organization Canopy Project Kawartha Lakes, a volunteer-led community group whose goal is to increase the urban canopy in the community.
Advertisement - content continues below
In the Environmental Business Hero category, Jenny Connell and Jessica Moynes — owners of Unwrapped in downtown Lindsay — were recognized for providing hundreds of environmentally friendly products that has saved thousands of tonnes of plastic waste from going to the landfill. Julia Taylor from the Country Cupboard in Fenelon Falls was recognized for her efforts to teach people to stop using plastic bags, providing recyclable vessels for bulk items, replacing plastics with environmentally friendly products, and giving trees away annually.
Potash Creek Farms, a cut-your-own Christmas tree farm northeast of Omemee run by Dan Vanderzwet, was recognized for its sustainable operations, including planting two or three-year seedlings each April. Three Forks Farm, a family farm south of Bobcaygeon owned by Elecia and Jarod Chinnick, was recognized for its sustainable farming practices and growing local food. Field Sparrow Farms, a family farm in Bobcaygeon led by Henry and Sarah Bakker, was recognized for its responsible and innovative farming strategies, including producing premium meats in ecological and sustainable ways.
In the Environmental Youth Hero category, the 6th Lindsay Brownies were recognized for their efforts to learn about local beekeepers and pollinators, doing seed workshops, and for being out on the trails furthering environmental education.
kawarthaNOW.com offers two enews options to help readers stay in the know. Our VIP enews is delivered weekly every Wednesday morning and includes exclusive giveaways, and our news digest is delivered daily every morning. You can subscribe to one or both.
Submit your event for FREE!
Use our event submission form to post your event on our website — for free.
To submit editorial content or ideas, please contact us.
