Peterborough & the Kawarthas Tourism has launched a new tourism campaign, based on Indigenous teachings, that encourages both residents and visitors to respect the land, waterways, and communities of the region.

Developed in consultation with Curve Lake First Nation and Hiawatha First Nation and drawing on the traditional teachings of the Michi Saagiig Anishinaabeg, the “O’de Piitaanemaan Pledge” is about respect — “respect for the land, for each other, and for those who will come after us”, according to a media release from Peterborough & the Kawarthas Tourism.

“If we’ve learned anything from 2020, it’s the power of unity, of working together for a mutual cause,” says Tracie Bertrand, director of tourism for Peterborough & the Kawarthas Tourism, a division of Peterborough & the Kawarthas Economic Development and the offical destination marketing organization for the city and county of Peterborough.

“Respect for the people, culture, and natural spaces we depend on, for future generations — for each other — has never been more important, and the O’de Piitaanemaan Pledge is meant to unify everyone for whom Peterborough & the Kawarthas lives within their hearts,” Bertrand adds.

Pronounced “Oh-da Pee-tah-na-mawn”, the Ojibway word for respect, the O’de Piitaanemaan Pledge comes from the Indigenous teaching of “mnaadendamowin” to give respect to all creation.

The pledge is as follows:

• I pledge to be light on the land and wise on the water.
• I’ll explore my surroundings with an open heart, ask for help when I need it, and be kind to strangers.
• Before starting my day, I’ll gear up, make a game plan, and get wind of the weather.
• I’ll remember my miigwech’s, thank-you’s, and merci’s.
• With every new season, I’ll seek fresh experiences and flavours, trails, and friends.
• I’ll place safety before sport when pedalling, paddling, parking, or power boating.
• Be it bison, baked goods, or a crafty brew, I’ll buy local where I can.
• I’ll greet new cultures and traditional teachings with curiosity, kindness, and compassion .
• After feeding my soul with authentic adventures, I’ll take fond memories with me and leave nothing but footprints behind.

VIDEO: The O’de Piitaanemaan Pledge: Peterborough & the Kawarthas

The people of Curve Lake First Nation and Hiawatha First Nation believe that because everything is connected, everyone must do their part.

For more information and to take the pledge, visit thekawarthas.ca/pledge/.

Peterborough & the Kawarthas Tourism is encouraging everyone to take the pledge and share it with friends and family via social media using the hashtag #OdePiitaanemaanPledge, with a goal of reaching more than 500 pledges by the end of the year.

Residents of the City of Kawartha Lakes, Northumberland County, and Haliburton County who have not yet received their first dose of COVID-19 vaccine can get one at walk-in immunization clinics in Cobourg or Fenelon Falls during July.

The two clinics, at the Cobourg Community Centre (750 D’Arcy St.) and Fenelon Falls Community Centre (27 Veterans Way), are open to any area resident 12 years of age or older who has not yet received a COVID-19 vaccine.

In a media release issued on Monday (July 5), the Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge District Health Unit states that, while almost 77 per cent of the area’s residents have received at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccines, first-dose vaccine appointments are starting to level off at local mass immunization clinics.

“We realize not everyone may have been able to book appointments through the provincial booking system or been able to access COVID-19 vaccines through other channels,” says Dr. Natalie Bocking, the health unit’s medical officer of health. “By providing this opportunity, we want to remove any barriers and make it as easy as possible for anyone who has not yet received a first dose of COVID-19 vaccine to get one.”

The Cobourg walk-in clinic is available from 1 to 4 p.m. on Thursdays and Fridays — July 8 and 9, 15 and 16, and 22 and 23 — and the Fenelon walk-in clinic is available on Saturdays and Sundays — July 10 and 11, July 17 and 18, and July 25 (but not July 24).

If there is a strong demand for the first-dose walk-in clinics, the health unit will expand them to its other mass immunization clinics later in July.

The announcement of the walk-in clinics comes on the same day the health unit reported a spike of 17 new cases in Kawartha Lakes over the past three days, increasing the number of active cases in the area by by 15.

Environment Canada has issued a severe thunderstorm watch for Monday afternoon (July 5) for most of the greater Kawarthas including Peterborough, Kawartha Lakes, Haliburton, and Hastings County.

Conditions are favourable for the development of severe thunderstorms that may be capable of producing strong wind gusts and large hail on Monday afternoon.

Large hail can damage property and cause injury. Strong wind gusts can toss loose objects, damage weak buildings, break branches off trees and overturn large vehicles.

Lightning kills and injures Canadians every year. Remember, when thunder roars, go indoors!

Environment Canada issues severe thunderstorm watches when atmospheric conditions are favourable for the development of thunderstorms that could produce one or more of the following: large hail, damaging winds, torrential rainfall.

The story has been updated to reflect the severe thunderstorm watch now includes all of Kawartha Lakes as well as all of Peterborough County.

Starting at 8 a.m. on Monday (July 5), all Ontario children and youth aged 12 to 17 are eligible to book their second dose of COVID-19 vaccine.

Children and youth who book an appointment will receive the Pfizer vaccine, which is the only COVID-19 vaccine currently authorized by Health Canada for those aged 12 and over.

The provincial government originally planned to offer children and youth their second dose beginning the week of August 9th, but announced in mid-June the schedule would be accelerated.

Second doses can be booked through the provincial booking system at 1-833-943-3900, which is open 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. seven days per week, or by booking online at ontario.ca/bookvaccine.

Second doses can also be booked directly through public health units that use their own booking system and through participating pharmacies.

The Ontario government says it expects to receive around 3.54 million doses of Pfizer in July. During the first two weeks of July, the allocation will be 907,000 doses, down from the 1.7 million doses expected initially, with the remaining 2,637,000 Pfizer doses expected to arrive during the last two weeks of July.

Through his music and his actions, Glen Caradus has hammered home the message that we need to think about, and look after, our natural environment now — not tomorrow, not next week or month, but today.

On Saturday, August 7th, the Peterborough musician and puppeteer will elevate his life mission to a whole other level, cycling 350 kilometres on his 21-speed bike to raise awareness of, and dollars for, climate-related programming offered by Peterborough GreenUP.

Departing from Runner’s Life on Charlotte Street at 5 a.m., Caradus will cycle to the Stoney Lake region, head to Apsley and Coe Hill, and make the trek west to Haliburton and Bobcaygeon before heading back to Peterborough for his scheduled 7 p.m. arrival at the finish line on Charlotte Street back at Runner’s Life.

According to Caradus, the distance goal of 350 kilometres was chosen by design, not accident.

“Climate science says for every one million air molecules, there shouldn’t be more than 350 carbon molecules,” he explains. “What’s happening with the burning of fossil fuels is we’re now up to 420 (carbon) parts per million, so we’re seeing the effects of climate change as a result.”

“The distance might be more than your average bike ride,” he points out. “A lot of people do big rides, it’s not unique, but linking it with that 350 number is different.”

With his ride still a month out — the rain date is Sunday, August 8th — the total amount raised is closing in on $1,500. That’s in addition to the sponsorship of Runner’s Life, For Our Grandchildren, and the Kawartha World Issues Centre that have covered the costs of a promotional video and related material. Those who wish to make a donation to the ride can do so through Peterborough GreenUP at greenup.on.ca/350-climate-ride.

VIDEO: 350 Climate Ride with Glen Caradus

The promotional video was shot by local filmmaker Jeremy Kelly and features the puppets that are a big part of Caradus’ live environmentally themed musical presentations. The fun but purposeful video features two of his songs — “Stand Up For What We Stand On” and “The Bike Song” — recorded by local music producer James McKenty.

“A lot of people find the climate issue pretty heavy, so I’m trying to find ways to bring some fun to it,” says Caradus.

Preparing for this ambitious trek is something that Caradus has been doing for some 40 years, competing in running events and, over the past 15 years, in triathlons — including Iron Man events.

“That gives me a certain amount of confidence,” says Caradus. “One of the silver linings of the pandemic is I’ve had a bit more time for training. I’m out every day. On the tenth day I take the day off and just do a light run to let my body rest a bit.”

“My bike isn’t anything super fancy but it has certainly been a good friend for 12 years — it gets the job done,” adds Caradus, noting he undertook a 260-kilometre ride last summer and recently completed a 240-kilometre ride.

“Since April I’ve put in about 3,500 kilometres. I’ve got three more weeks of hard training and then I’ll start to taper off.”

Phil Stephenson has been Caradus’ musical partner for more than 20 years. Together they’ve toured across the country, bringing their Paddling Puppeteers show and its messages around nature and Canadian history to audiences, young and old, in just about every setting you can think of. Stephenson, for one, has every confidence his friend will make it to the finish line in good shape.

“We have so much in common other than the fact that he really is quite an athlete,” he assesses.

“It’s nothing for him but I’ve always been blown away. I’m the opposite. I was born flat footed and left-handed. I was the last guy to be picked when we picked teams as a kid. That’s why I gravitated towards the arts. Not only is Glen an amazing musical artist but he has this really phenomenal ability. I find it so inspirational. 350 kilometres. That’s mental but it’s great. It’s killer.”

Asked if there’s any chance he’d hop on a bike and join Glen on his ride, Stephenson laughs.

“I joke that I’m his spiritual advisor. I’m the guy that cheers from the sidelines. I’d be lucky to bang out three and a half kilometres.”

Now teaching a forest school program for Peterborough-based Rowan Tree Children’s School, Caradus has taught outdoor education programs for years at Camp Kawartha and also performed regularly during family events at GreenUP’s Ecology Park. That speaks directly to his primary ambition of helping young people make “a nature connection.”

“And in this day and age, there’s the whole mental health piece of getting kids off their screens and out into the fresh air. With the pandemic, in the backyard or a nearby park, people are connecting with nature more. I’m in Jackson Park a lot and I’m seeing a lot more people there.”

Caradus adds that while he hopes his bike inspires people to think more deeply about the effects of climate change and donate a few dollars to GreenUP, any time he’s on a bike is inspirational for him as well.

“When I did the ride last summer and just recently again to get a feel for this, so much of my day was spent being inspired by what’s around us. Often when I bike I will sing and that gets me thinking about song lyrics, so it’s inspiring on that level too.”

From where he sits, Stephenson says no one can argue with his longtime collaborator’s passion.

“Everything he does, he never takes a nickel. It’s all about climate change and awareness. It’s what he wants to do, not what he has to do. I’m literally playing music with one of the best athletes in Peterborough. I’m inspired and I hope everyone else will be too.”

For more information on The Paddling Puppeteers, visit philandglen.com/paddling-puppeteers.

For information about Peterborough GreenUP and its programming, visit greenup.on.ca.