Multiple Juno Award-winning musician Serena Ryder performing at a sold-out show at Showplace Performance Centre in downtown Peterborough on December 15, 2017. The Millbrook native returns to Showplace on December 20, 2019, one of a series of "Showplace Presents" events taking place in 2019/20. (Photo: Jeannine Taylor / kawarthaNOW)
Showplace Performance Centre in downtown Peterborough has quietly released its 2019/20 “Showplace Presents” season, but the offerings are anything but quiet.
Burton Cummings and Serena Ryder are two of the star musical acts coming to Showplace later this year, with Cummings performing on Sunday, December 1st and Ryder on Friday, December 20th.
Ryder, who was raised in Millbrook and attended Peterborough Collegiate and Vocational School, last performed at Showplace on December 15, 2017, to a sell-out crowd.
Other iconic musical acts include Lighthouse and the Irish Rovers, and the popular Classic Albums Live series returns with note-by-note recreations of Zeppelin IV, Fleetwood Mac’s Greatest Hits, and The Beatles’ Let It Be.
Guess Who lead singer and solo artist Burton Cummings performs at at Showplace Performance Centre in downtown Peterborough on December 1, 2019. (Publicity photo)
Also returning are two more instalments of Foley’s East Coast Pub, the annual Cozy Christmas concert, Next Generation Leahy, and more.
Here’s the full list of “Showplace Presents” shows announced to date:
September 19-20 – Music of the 70s (Showplace fundraiser)
September 29 – Foley’s East Coast Pub
October 3 – Classic Albums Live – Zeppelin IV
October 10 – Lighthouse (50th Anniversary Tour)
October 18 – Spidey (International Hypnotist/Mentalist)
November 29 – Countermeasure
December 1 – Burton Cummings: Up Close and Alone
December 3 – Men of The Deeps
December 15 – Cozy Christmas
December 20 – Serena Ryder – The 2019 Christmas Kisses Tour
December 22 – Next Generation Leahy
January 31 – Classic Albums Live – Fleetwood Mac: Greatest Hits
February 23 – Irish Rovers
March 15 – Foley’s Irish Pub
April 2 – Classic Albums Live – Beatles: Let It Be
April 3 – Danny Bronson: The Music Of Neil Diamond
With the exception of Serena Ryder (tickets go on sale Tuesday, July 16th at 10:30 a.m.), tickets are now available for all these shows at www.showplace.org.
By purchasing tickets for “Showplace Presents” events, you are not only guaranteed a great night of entertainment, but any net revenue from the shows goes back into supporting the Showplace, a non-profit charitable organization.
In addition to the “Showplace Presents” series, the venue is also hosting the following shows this summer and fall:
July 13 – Motown Gold
August 11 – Roy Orbinson: The All-Star Tribute
September 28 – A Musical Tribute To The Highwaymen
October 5 – We Walk The Line – Tribute To Johnny Cash
October 6 – Beatles Versus Stones – Battle Of The Brits
October 20 – The John Denver Experience
October 26 – Red Green’s “This Could Be It!” Tour
November 1 – Green River Revival – The Best Of CCR
November 20 – Four By Four “The Holiday Show”
December 21 Elvis: Blue Christmas
With new shows being added all the time, there’s even more entertainment to experience at Showplace Performance Centre over the next year.
Check out the Showplace website at www.showplace.org for a current list of all upcoming shows, and follow Showplace @PTBOShowplace on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
And stay tuned to kawarthaNOW.com over the coming months for profiles on some of the upcoming performances at Showplace.
Gold bars and coins valued at around $1.1 million were stolen from a Cramahe Township home in Northumberland County sometime during April 2019. (Stock photo)
Members of the Northumberland OPP’s crime unit are investigating the theft of gold bars and coins worth around $1.1 million from a residence in Cramahe Township in Northumberland County.
The gold bars and coins, along with around $4,000 in American currency, were reported missing on April 28, 2019.
Police say the theft is believed to have occurred sometime during the month of April.
The Northumberland OPP is asking for the public’s assistance with the investigation. Anyone with information should call their nearest OPP detachment at 1-888-310-1122.
If you wish to remain anonymous, you can contact the Peterborough/Northumberland Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS), where you may be eligible for a cash reward of up to $2,000 and not have to appear in court.
In the Peterborough Theatre Guild's production of "The Marvellous Wonderettes: Dream On", Elizabeth Moody, Tonya Bosch, and Natalie Dorsett reprise their roles as Cindy Lou, Betty Jean, and Suzy from the original "The Marvellous Wonderettes" show, and are joined by Gillian Harknett as Missy. The musical runs from July 5 to 20, 2019 at the Guild Hall in Peterborough. (Photo: Wendy Morgan)
Beginning Friday, July 5th, the Peterborough Theatre Guild (PTG) concludes its 2018-19 season with Roger Bean’s off-Broadway hit jukebox musical The Marvellous Wonderettes: Dream On.
Directed by Margaret Pieper, the show is the sequel to The Marvellous Wonderettes, first produced at PTG in the summer of 2015, and reunites the majority of the original creative team. Natalie Dorsett, Elizabeth Moody, and Tonya Bosch reprise their original roles and are joined by musical powerhouse Gillian Harknett to create the small-town girls pop group The Wonderettes in a fun-filled show about the power of music and friendship.
Peterborough Theatre Guild presents The Marvellous Wonderettes: Dream On
When: July 5, 6, 11-13, and 18-20 at 8 p.m.; July 7 and 14, 2019 at 2 p.m. Where: Guild Hall (364 Rogers St., Peterborough) How much: $22 adults, $20 seniors, $13 students
Written and created by Roger Bean with vocal and musical arrangements by Michael Borth. Directed by Margaret Piper. Starring Elizabeth Moody as Cindy Lou, Tonya Bosch as Betty Jean, Natalie Dorsett as Suzy, and Gillian Harknett as Missy. Music direction by Dustin Bowers. Choreography by Melissa Earle. Tickets available by calling the box office at 705-745-4211 (if not open leave a message) or online at theatreguild.org.
I can’t begin to express my joy in returning to the Peterborough Theatre Guild as I sat in on a Sunday night for a rehearsal of The Marvellous Wonderettes: Dream On.
The original production remains one of my all-time favourite shows at the PTG, and being reunited with some of my favourite local performers and their characters — bossy Missy (Gillian Harknett), bubbly Suzy (Natalie Dorsett), bitchy Cindy Lou (Elizabeth Moody), and boy—crazy Betty Jean (Tonya Bosch), is like being reunited with beloved old friends after a long time away.
Written by Milwaukee-based playwright Roger Bean in 2016, The Marvellous Wonderettes: Dream On is the fourth but most successful sequel to Bean’s original The Marvellous Wonderettes, which amassed a massive cult following when it made its debut in 1999.
The show was a love letter to the girl groups of the ’50s and ’60s, following the lives of four friends from their prom in 1958 to their 10-year class reunion in 1968.
In The Marvellous Wonderettes: Dream On, the Wonderettes are no longer girls, and audiences follow the now-adult friends from 1969 to 1978 as they still struggle with love, life, and finding their own dreams. Of course, along the way, the women sing memorable music from the end of the 1960’s to the mid 1970’s in a fun and fast musical revue.
“Even if you didn’t see the first Wonderettes four years ago, this show can be watched as an all-new show,” says Natalie, who also acts as the show’s producer. “The first one is not needed to enjoy this show. However, if you remember what happened it’s all the better.”
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For director Margaret Pieper, an important element for the success of the sequel to The Marvellous Wonderettes was getting as many players from the original production as possible for the revival.
“Margaret came to me and asked me what I thought,” Natalie recalls. “I said that I thought it was a blast the first time, audiences loved it, and we loved doing it. But Margaret said she wouldn’t do it if she couldn’t get the same people on board.”
“There were a few hiccups at the beginning, but once everybody confirmed they were back on board we hit the ground running from there,” Margaret confirms. “I asked Natalie, Liz,and Tonya if they’d reprise their roles and they all immediately said yes.”
Natalie Dorsett as Suzy, Elizabeth Moody as Cindy Lou, and Tonya Bosch as Betty Jean in the Peterborough Theatre Guild’s 2015 production of “The Marvellous Wonderettes”. In “The Marvellous Wonderettes: Dream On”, the story follows the three characters (along with Gillian Harknett as Missy) as they still struggle with love, life, and finding their own dreams 10 years later. (Photo: Sam Tweedle / kawarthaNOW.com)
Absent from the original cast is singer Avery Cantello (the original show’s Missy), who currently headlines her own band in Toronto.
“We did reach out to Avery,” Margaret says, “But she’s doing her amazing thing in Toronto and she had to politely decline. She said she would have liked to have made it happen, but it was impossible.”
However, Gillian Harknett, who is best known to local audiences for her starring role in St. James Players 2017 production of Mary Poppins, has seamlessly fit into the production alongside the original crew of girls.
“Gillian has slotted into this role so easily that sometimes we forget sometimes that she didn’t do the original show four years ago,” Natalie says.
One of the interesting differences between The Marvellous Wonderettes: Dream On and the original show is the way the music has evolved from the first show. While the first show featured all songs from the female singing stars of the ’50s and ’60s, the sequel songs from both female and male artists.
Sam Tweedle at the Peterborough Theatre Guild’s 2015 production of “The Marvellous Wonderettes”, with (from left) Natalie Dorsett as Suzy, Avery Cantello as Missy, Elizabeth Moody as Cindy Lou, and Tonya Bosch as Betty Jean. For the 2019 production of “The Marvellous Wonderettes: Dream On”, Natalie, Elizabeth, and Tonya will be reprising their roles with Gillian Harknett taking on the role of Missy. (Photo: Christine Flanagan)
While songs by female icons like Petula Clark, Linda Ronstadt, Gloria Gaynor, Diana Ross and the Supremes, Freda Payne, Helen Reddy, Kiki Dee and Toni Tennille are highlights of the show, the girls also sings songs by Stevie Wonder, Rare Earth, The Foundations, The Spencer Davis Group, The Four Tops, Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes, and The Doobie Brothers.
Songs that are not associated with women now become transformed into Wonderettes songs via the on-stage accompaniment by musical director Dustin Bowers and his great group comprised of Liam Parker, Nick Gilroy, and Tim Moody.
“The harmonies written in this show are far more complex than the first show, but the sound is a lot better,” Natalie says. “What those backup vocals bring to the songs elevate the songs. In some ways it makes it harder, but it makes it more interesting singing backup.”
But while the songs are the selling point, the heart and success of the Wonderettes franchise lies in the lives and loves of the four characters. From the first act of the first show to the final act of the sequel, audiences follow the lives of the girls through 20 years. Over four productions, the Wonderettes have achieved their own devoted fan base among theatre patrons.
“Betty Jean is the jokester and class clown,” says Tonya Bosch of her character. “She’s just here because her friends were organizing this event and she can sing. My character also stays with a boy, Johnny, who keeps cheating on her.”
“But Betty Jean evolves the most in these plays. In the first show, she changes a lot between the first act and second act, and in this play she evolves even more. I think they did that on purpose because this play take place at a time when women were finally allowed to evolve, and when women could go on a weekend excursion without a husband. Women never heard such a thing in the sixties. I love that this is in the script. First she is there for her friends, but now she is there for herself.”
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While Betty Jean is often the light-hearted character with the funny lines, her onstage friend and foil Cindy Lou carries the emotional storyline of the series.
“Cindy Lou was the mean girl in school,” Liz Moody says of her character. “She’s a rebel and steps out of what people expect her to do. She acts like she has good luck and she can get all the boys she wants, but somehow it never works out for her.”
“In the first show she steals her best friend’s boyfriend, and then dates another boy who dies in front of her. In this show, it hasn’t been very long since that happened. In act one she is lost and she doesn’t know what she wants to do, so she takes a chance to become a star and to sing. Act two of her story is what happens after she makes that jump, but it’s not all sunshine and rainbows for Cindy Lou. But she’s lucky to have a great group of friends that will support her no matter what the situation might be.”
Gillian Harknett takes on the role of Missy, The Wonderettes stuffy leader who, in the first show, romanced and eventually married their teacher Mister Lee.
“Missy likes to be in control of everything in her life,” Gillian explains. “She likes everything to be just so, and when it isn’t she gets flustered. But she figures out a way to do things, and then moves on.”
Tickets are now available for Peterborough Theatre Guild’s production of “The Marvellous Wonderettes: Dream On”. (Graphic: We Design)
Although her character Suzy seems like the air-headed comedic relief of the show, Natalie is able to put her own real-life three dimensional spin on the character.
“I think for Suzy, she has this idealistic life that everybody in 1968 wanted, but you don’t know what’s really going on behind closed doors,” Natalie says. “She’s the mom with the kids that walks through the grocery store saying hello to everybody, and she saw them at the salon and will see them at the PTA.”
“I think Suzy has evolved a little bit, but she’s evolved the way you thought she would. Who she was at 18 is who she is at 38. However, she has a little bit of a backbone. She’s a stereotypical house wife from that era, and singing with the Wonderettes is the only thing she has which is about her. Everything else is about her family, but this is hers. This is the only thing she has.”
While people love the music in the play, the audiences can genuinely connect to the characters as well, Liz explains.
“Every woman goes through these characters and their stages at some point in their lives,” she says. “You go through the stage where you need to find out who they are. You go through the dreamer stage, where it feels like nothing is working. You go through the stage where you realize nothing is working, so you’re going to control the snot out of it. Then you go through the stage where everything is fine.”
“Whether you have been married or not, you can relate to the relationships where they seem safe but you know that it’s not what you want. Every woman can connect to the story, and even men can connect to it. It’s light-hearted and fun, but has those heart-felt moments of empowerment. That’s why I love theatre so much. It can help someone past a hard point.”
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“This show is what we need right now,” Natalie adds. “It’s easy to connect to and it’s a way to escape to somewhere fun. You’re also going to feel good.”
But don’t just take it from the cast of the show. I was invited to sit through the first act during a rehearsal, despite weeks being left to continue to develop and fine tune the show. I loved reuniting with the characters as if they were old friends, and I couldn’t help but be seduced by the musical numbers, often singing along and dancing in my seat.
Driving home, I found myself singing the songs from the show, and smiling so wide that my face hurt. The Marvellous Wonderettes: Dream On is what summer theatre is all about: light and fun with moments that will touch your heart. It’s a show about music, loyalty, and the type of friendship that binds women together throughout the years. It is guaranteed to become an audience favourite. It’s already one of mine.
The Marvellous Wonderettes: Dream On runs from July 5th to 20th at the Peterborough Theatre Guild. Shows start at 8 p.m., with 2 p.m. Sunday matinees on July 7th and 14th. Tickets are $22 for adults, $20 for seniors, and $13 for students. You can order them now by calling the box office at 705-745-4211 (if not open leave a message) or online at theatreguild.org.
After The Marvellous Wonderettes: Dream On completes its July run, the Peterborough Theatre Guild will be back with its 2019-20 season starting in September.
Toronto singer-songwriter and rapper Stacey Kay performs with Jonathan Cullen at the June 25th announcement of the 2019 lineup for the Hootenanny on Hunter Street on Saturday, August 10th. Kay will be performing at 7 p.m. during the 9th annual free music festival. Headliners will be The Jonny Trash Super Group, a collective of various musicians connected with the late Jonathan Hall, who founded the street music festival. (Photo courtesy of Peterborough DBIA)
The Hootenanny on Hunter Street returns to downtown Peterborough on Saturday, August 10th, with a special tribute to the music festival’s founder, the late Jonathan “Jonny Trash” Hall.
Headliners The Jonny Trash Super Group will be a surprise collective of various musicians connected with Hall, who passed away suddenly from a heart attack on March 22nd just after his 44th birthday.
“I am thrilled with the eclectic and hugely entertaining lineup we have booked for this year’s Hootenanny on Hunter,” says Terry Guiel, executive director of the Peterborough Downtown Business Improvement Area (DBIA), an an announcement of the festival lineup on Tuesday (June 25).
“We were deeply saddened along with the entire community by the sudden passing of Jonathan Hall earlier this year. Jon started the Hootenanny and organized it for seven years. On August 10th, you’ll see a hugely talented and dynamic performance from The Jonny Trash Super Group.”
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“Jonny was all about getting stage time for local artists and bringing in bands from out of town that maybe you hadn’t heard before,” adds Mike Judson, a long-time friend of Hall and co-owner of The Twisted Wheel along with Hall.
“Moving forward with this event. I think Jonny would love to see a continued effort being put into choosing great local artists to grace the Hunter Street stage. He’d want the organizers to take a chance on something weird and outside of the norm and give people an experience they were not expecting.”
VIDEO: “Inside Out” – Lindsay Barr
The lineup of performers at the 9th annual Hootenanny, which will run from noon to 11 p.m. on Hunter Street West between George and Aylmer streets, includes a strong representation of local musicians including Paper Shakers, The Lohrwoods, Dylan Ireland, and Lindsay Barr.
Visiting acts including Toronto reggae band House oF David Gang, country musician Crystal Shawanda, Mississauga retro rockers The Dreamboats, and Toronto singer-songwriter and rapper Stacey Kay.
Kay was a finalist on America’s Got Talent, won the Canadian Songwriters Award for best Adult Contemporary/Pop song of 2018 with “Weight On My Shoulders,” and gained recognition with a spontaneous performance of one of Busta Rhymes’ fastest raps in a South Carolina Walgreens that went viral with over 40 million views.
Country artist Crystal Shawanda will perform at the Hootenanny on Hunter Street at 5 p.m. on August 10, 2019. (Publicity photo)
Here’s the full lineup and performance times for the 9th annual Hootenanny on Hunter Street:
Paper Shakers (performing at 12 p.m.)
The Lohrwoods (performing at 1:15 p.m.)
Dylan Ireland (performing at 2:30 p.m.)
House of David Gang (performing at 3:45 p.m.)
Crystal Shawanda (performing at 5 p.m.)
Lindsay Barr (performing at 6:15 p.m.)
Stacey Kay (performing at 7:30 p.m.)
The Dreamboats (performing at 8:45 p.m.)
The Jonny Trash Super Group (performing at 10 p.m.)
Admission is free, thanks to sponsors the DBIA, Shorelines Casino Peterborough, Ashburnham Realty, Smirnoff, Sleeman Breweries, Labatt, Extra 90.5 talkSPORTS, Oldies 96.7, Gerti’s, Spanky’s, Sysco Canada, Sam’s Place, One Eighty, Kettle Drums, Peterborough Inn and Suites, The Twisted Wheel, Hunter Street Tavern, Univins, Umberto Cesari Iove, and BALL Real Estate Inc.
Peterborough-Kawartha MP Maryam Monsef has announced $71.1 million in federal funding for the next phase of Via Rail's proposed high-frequency rail project from Quebec City to Toronto, running through Peterborough. The announcement was made at the Peterborough Chamber of Commerce offices, which was previously a Canadian Pacific Railway station. (Photo: Robert Taylor / Wikipedia)
As reported earlier by anonymous government sources, Peterborough-Kawartha MP Maryam Monsef announced on Tuesday (June 25) that the Canada Infrastructure Bank would be supporting the next phase of Via Rail’s proposed high-frequency rail project from Quebec City to Toronto, running through Peterborough.
Making the announcement on behalf of federal Minister of Transport Marc Garneau and Minister of Infrastructure and Communities François-Philippe Champagne, Monsef announced that the federal government and the Canada Infrastructure Bank are committing $71.1 million in new funding to complete additional planning activities over the next two years to advance the Via Rail proposal.
“This project would bring significant economic growth to our community and the affected regions along the corridor,” Monsef said during the announcement at the Peterborough Chamber of Commerce offices, located in a former Canadian Pacific Railway station in Peterborough.
“It also requires a significant investment,” Monsef added. “That’s why we have taken each step forward in a measured, thoughtful way. We are not interested in creating buzz that leads to no results. We began by working with Via Rail to determine their business case, which we have determined would be good for the middle class and those working hard to join it. The next step is making sure we move forward in the correct way. That requires meaningful indigenous consultations and environmental assessment.”
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“Today’s announcement is a significant next step for the VIA Rail high-frequency rail proposal,” said Peterborough Chamber president and CEO Stuart Harrison, who was involved in the original Shining Rails Railway group that inspired the Via Rail plan in 2011.
“This is no longer about feasibility: it’s about the process to approval. There are a lot of people in Peterborough who have been working on this project, and we are very appreciative of the commitment from the Canadian Infrastructure Bank and Federal Government.”
A CPR passenger train stopping in Peterborough in 1955. (Photo: Ray Corley)
The $71.1 million in new funding will be used to establish a joint project team between Canada Infrastructure Bank and VIA Rail, and will fund work to preserve the option of interoperability with regional transit providers in Montreal and Toronto.
The Canada Infrastructure Bank will provide $55 million for the joint project team. Activities to be completed over the next two years include finalizing legal and regulatory work related to safety and environmental assessments, consulting with stakeholders and indigenous communities, examining the required land and track acquisition, and completing the technical, financial, and commercial analysis required for a final investment decision.
Of the remaining funding, $16.1 million will be used for Transport Canada and VIA Rail to support VIA Rail’s contributions to the joint project team. It will also fund technical work to ensure the interoperability and integration of high-frequency rail with operating tracks used by local and regional transit providers in Montreal and Toronto.
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Monsef pointed out that, while there is significant interest and enthusiasm in the marketplace about VIA Rail’s proposal for high-frequency rail, additional work must be completed to advance the project.
“This train has yet to leave the station, but this is the furthest we have ever come on the idea of a passenger train,” Monsef said. “Today’s announcement marks a significant milestone moving forward.”
For her part, City of Peterborough Mayor Diane Therrien is optimistic about the latest progress with the plan.
“I am excited to see the VIA Rail Canada project moving forward,” Therrien said. “The project has been in the works for a long time and will be of great benefit to the region.”
Central Smith Creamery Vice President/Marketing Jenn Scates (centre), pictured in 2018 with employees Allison Zoomer and Molly Strain at the Central Smith Creamery parlour store at 739 Lindsay Road in Selwyn. The creamery is planning an ice cream social on July 20, 2019 to raise funds for he Peterborough Regional Health Centre Foundation. (Photo: Amy Bowen / kawarthaNOW.com)
businessNOW™ is the most comprehensive weekly round-up of business and organizational news and events from Peterborough and across the Kawarthas.
This week’s business news include Central Smith Creamery in Selwyn hosting an ice cream social fundraiser for PRHC Foundation, Maar’s Music opening at its new Brookdale Plaza location after Canada Day, Northumberland Makers celebrating the one-year anniversary of MakerLab at Venture13 in Cobourg, the International Women’s Day Conference Peterborough making a donation to the Judy Heffernan Award Fund, local businesses invited to partner with Trent-Severn Trail Program, and the upcoming retirement of YWCA Peterborough Haliburton executive director Lynn Zimmer.
Every week, our managing editor collects news and events related to businesses and organizations from across the Kawarthas. If you’d like us to promote your news or event in businessNOW, please email business@kawarthanow.com.
Also featured this week is the Kawartha Chamber of Commerce & Tourism welcoming three summer staff, the City of Kawartha Lakes launching a pilot of a new online resident engagement platform, Shantilly’s Place on Chandos Lake hosting its grand opening on the Canada Day weekend, Haliburton Highlands Chamber of Commerce electing its 2019-2020 board of director, and Dream Cyclery bicycle shop now open in downtown Peterborough.
New regional events added this week include the Peterborough Chamber’s PBX Summer Social at Silver Bean Cafe in Peterborough on July 2nd, Trent Hills Chamber of Commerce hosting a Facebook for Business workshop in Campbellford on July 9th, the Peterborough Chamber hosting its Chamber AM breakfast meeting in Peterborough on July 9th, and the Northumberland Central Chamber of Commerce hosting a business economic outlook breakfast meeting with MP Kim Russ and MPP David Piccini in Cobourg on July 11th.
Central Smith Creamery in Peterborough hosting ice cream social fundraiser for PRHC Foundation
Central Smith Creamery’s “Ice Cream Social” on July 20, 2019 is a fundraiser for PRHC Foundation. (Graphic: Central Smith Creamery / Facebook)
Local dairy Central Smith Creamery is hosting an ice cream social fundraiser this summer in support of the Peterborough Regional Health Centre (PRHC) Foundation.
The event will take from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, July 20th — the day before National Ice Cream Day — at the creamery at 739 Lindsay Road in Selwyn.
The family-friendly event will feature a silent auction, a jumpy castle, games, a BBQ, face painting, an obstacle course, an ice cream eating contest, and an open mic.
All proceeds from the day will be donated to the Peterborough Regional Health Centre (PRHC) Foundation.
More details will be available closer to the event date. For more information, visit the Facebook event page.
On a related note, Central Smith Creamery will be featured in an upcoming issue of Milk Producer, the magazine of the Dairy Farmers of Ontario.
Maar’s Music opens at its new Brookdale Plaza location after Canada Day
A sign is up at Maar’s Music new location at Brookdale Plaza, which opens on July 2, 2019. (Photo: Maar’s Music / Facebook)
Next Tuesday (July 2), Maar’s Music will open at its new location in Brookdale Plaza (869 Chemong Rd., Peterborough).
Owned and operated by Markus and Nicole Maar, Maar’s Music is the oldest locally owned music store in Peterborough.
It opened in 1993, and is moving from its current location at 360 George Street North in downtown Peterborough (under the Market Hall clock tower).
The new store is located in Unit 21, between Healthy Planet and the Bulk Barn, in Brookdale Plaza.
Northumberland Makers celebrates one-year anniversary of MakerLab at Venture13 in Cobourg
Northumberland Makers celebrated the one-year anniversary of MakerLab with an open house on June 22, 2019. (Photo: Venture13 / Facebook)
On Saturday (June 22), Northumberland Makers celebrated the one-year anniversary of MakerLab at a public celebration and open house at Venture13 Innovation and Entrepreneurship Centre (739 D’Arcy St., Cobourg).
Established in 2015, Northumberland Makers is a community of creators, innovators, and makers with a goal of improving equity of access to tools, technology and education within Northumberland County and are based out of Venture13.
As an anchor community partner of Venture13, Northumberland Makers have provided a transformative partnership to the group making the Venture13 MakerLab the organization’s home base.
“In our first year in the MakerLab we have been busy solidifying ideas and mapping out programming and have celebrated many successes, connections, and partnerships which will continue to grow as we enter our second year,” says Phil Mandryk, president of Northumberland Makers and director on Venture13’s board of partners.
Northumberland Makers has also launched MakerLab TV, a platform to keep Northumberland County informed on local high-tech innovations.
International Women’s Day Conference Peterborough makes donation to Judy Heffernan Award Fund
Louise Racine (right), founder and committee chair of International Women’s Day Conference Peterborough, presents Jennifer DeBues, director of operations and granting at Community Foundation of Greater Peterborough, with a $650 cheque for The Judy Heffernan Award fund on June 20, 2019. (Photo: John Good / Community Foundation of Greater Peterborough)
Last Thursday (June 20), Louise Racine, founder and committee chair of International Women’s Day Conference Peterborough, presented a cheque for $650 to Community Foundation of Greater Peterborough.
The donation is from a portion of net proceeds from this year’s International Women’s Day Conference, and will go towards the Judy Heffernan Award Fund for future recipients.
Racine herself won the Judy Heffernan Award in 2016, which inspired her to launch the inaugural International Women’s Day Conference in 2017. Conference proceeds from previous years have supported Habitat for Humanity, Alternatives Community Services, and a girls’ soccer program.
The Judy Heffernan Award is named in honour of the well-respected leader of the local business community who passed away in 2013 at the age of 61 after a brief battle with cancer. She was widely known as a tireless promoter of the entrepreneurial dreams and passions of women, both young and old. The Judy Heffernan Award recognizes a female entrepreneur, mentor, or student who embodies Heffernan’s legacy of humbly helping others succeed.
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Local businesses invited to partner with Trent-Severn Trail Program
Kawarthas Northumberland is inviting local businesses to be involved in Canada’s first-ever waterway “Trail Town” program, featuring the Trent-Severn Waterway National Historic Site of Canada as the trail.
Similar programs elsewhere have created trail-friendly towns that successfully entice trail tourists into local business districts, generating millions of dollars in sustainable economic growth for small businesses.
“Benefits for participating businesses include the opportunity to increase revenue by engaging relatively low-impact trail visitors,” says Kawarthas Northumberland executive director Brenda Wood. “Participating businesses receive guidance on how to better serve paddlers, boaters, and land-trail users who seek to enjoy areas within two kilometres of the Trent-Severn Waterway.”
Kawarthas Northumberland provide a kit to partner businesses that includes trail information and history, a decal for their window, and an opportunity to participate in related retail promotions and tourism marketing as a “trail-friendly” business.
To date, the communities of Campbellford, Hastings, Lakefield, Buckhorn, Lindsay, Bobcaygeon, Fenelon Falls, Coboconk, Rosedale, and Kirkfield have confirmed interest in becoming designated as Trent-Severn Trail Towns. Businesses within these communities can apply for “Trent-Severn Trail Friendly” designation.
The program is voluntary and has criteria, including that staff be familiar with the waterway, provide friendly customer service, be knowledgeable of other businesses along the waterway, and maintain trail-friendly information.
The program is intended to help local businesses serve trail users and to encourage trail users to patronize the businesses that participate. There is no cost for businesses to participate.
Interested businesses can contact partner@rto8.com for an application.
YWCA Peterborough Haliburton executive director Lynn Zimmer is retiring
YWCA Peterborough Haliburton executive director Lynn Zimmer and Minister for Women and Gender Equality and Minister of International Development Maryam Monsef at the announcement of $1 million for YWCA Peterborough Haliburton’s “Homeward Bound in Peterborough” project on March 5, 2019. Zimmer will be retiring on November 30, 2019. (Photo: Office of Maryam Monsef)
After 35 years of leading YWCA Peterborough Haliburton, Lynn Zimmer is retiring as executive director.
The news was shared at YWCA Peterborough Haliburton’s annual general meeting last Thursday (June 20).
She will be retiring from the organization, which supports local women facing violence, poverty, and oppression, on November 30, 2019.
Zimmer has been working to prevent violence and promote equity for women for almost 46 years. She was one of the founding members of Toronto’s Interval House in 1973, Canada’s first shelter for women fleeing domestic violence.
Kawartha Chamber of Commerce & Tourism welcomes three summer staff
Shannon Shillinglaw, Vanessa Stark, and Callie Carroll-Shea have joined the Kawartha Chamber of Commerce & Tourism for the summer months. (Photo: Kawartha Chamber)
The Kawartha Chamber of Commerce & Tourism recently welcomed three summer students to its team.
Callie Carroll-Shea is the Chamber’s tourism outreach assistant. The Ennismore resident and Queen’s University student will spend the summer welcoming tourists at the Buckhorn Welcome Centre.
Vanessa Stark, the Chamber’s marketing and tourism assistant in Lakefield, is an area resident and recent graduate of Trent University and Loyalist Collage.
Shannon Shillinglaw is the Chambers’ special event and tourism assistant. The Douro-Dummer resident is a Trent University graduate who also recently received her B.Ed from Queen’s University. She will be working in Lakefield, Buckhorn, and the surrounding communities.
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City of Kawartha Lakes launches pilot of new online resident engagement platform
The City of Kawartha Lakes has launched the “Jump in, Kawartha Lakes” website, a new online engagement tool for residents.
The platform offers information for residents and opportunities to provide feedback via surveys, polls, idea forums, and interactive maps.
The 2019 pilot of the platform will provide residents with the chance to engage in the municipality’s 2020-2023 strategic plan, which will guide and focus the direction of the municipality and its major projects over the next four years.
In the near future, the website will be expanded to include other projects.
“Jump In is an accessible, informative and fun way to get residents involved with the projects taking place across all areas of local government — from road repairs and budgeting to arts, culture and recreation initiatives,” says Cheri Davidson, the city’s manager of communications, advertising and marketing. “An online platform adds a convenient, 24-7 option for residents who can’t attend daytime council meetings or open houses to learn more and have their say on topics of interest.”
Visit www.jumpinkawarthalakes.ca to register for the platform. By signing up, you’ll receive email updates about ongoing municipal initiatives.
Shantilly’s Place on Chandos Lake to host its grand opening on Canada Day weekend
Yannick Bisson, who portrays William Murdoch on CBC television’s award-winning series “Murdoch Mysteries”, and his wife Shantelle Bisson at Shantilly’s Place (formerly West Bay Narrows Marina) on Chandos Lake in North Kawarthas. Also pictured is artist Terri Butler (right), who gifted the couple a painting of the original West Bay Narrows Marina. The Bissons, who have a cottage on the lake, purchased the marina in 2018. Shantilly’s Place opened for the summer season on May 17, 2019. (Photo: Shantilly’s Place)
As we reported in businessNOW in May, Toronto author and relationship expert Shantelle Bisson — the wife of Murdoch Mysteries’ leading man Yannick Bisson) — is the new owner and operator of the Chandos Lake marina.
Previously West Bay Narrows Marina and now called Shantilly’s Place, the renovated marina will hold its grand opening on the Canada Day weekend, with an official ribbon-cutting ceremony taking place at 9 a.m. on Saturday, June 29th.
There will be a grand opening barbecue all weekend long (including on Canada Day) and Shantilly’s will be serving cappuccinos, lattes, retro candies, igloos, and will feature a small arcade room. The marina is also running ta pop-up Pusateri’s grocery store.
Shantelle also plans to give back by collecting used blankets and towels to donate to local animal shelters, as well as collecting any food cottagers don’t want to pack up and donate it to the local food bank and women’s shelters.
Haliburton Highlands Chamber of Commerce elects 2019-2020 board of directors
The 2019-2020 board of directors of the Haliburton Highlands Chamber of Commerce. (Photo: Haliburton Highlands Chamber / Facebook)
At its annual general meeting on June 4th at Rhubarb Restaurant in Carnarvon, the Haliburton Highlands Chamber of Commerce elected its 2019-20 board of directors.
The 2019-2020 board is: Andrea Strano (Parish & Strano, RE/MAX North Country Realty Inc. Brokerage), Stefan Bjelis (Vasey Insurance Brokers Ltd.), Greg Hebert (Oakview Lodge and Marina), Joe Cox (Thomas Contracting), Bram Lebo (The Highlander), Patrick Louch (Selbie Louch Law Office), Lisa Tompkins (Haliburton Highlands Health Services Foundation), Amanda Virtanen (County of Haliburton), Emily Keller (K. Brewer Financial Services Inc.), and Rob Berthelot (Sandy Lane Resort), and Dr. Jennifer Morrow (Minden Animal Hospital)
Dream Cyclery bicycle shop is now open in downtown Peterborough
Toronto bike enthusiast Linus Kwak (left) has opened a second location of premium bike shop Dream Cyclery in downtown Peterborough, in the former location of Christensen Fine Art. (Photo: Dream Cyclery / Facebook)
Dream Cyclery officially opened earlier this month in downtown Peterborough.
The bicycle shop is located at 432 George Street, in the former location of Christensen Fine Art, beside Knock on Wood.
The shop is owned by bike enthusiast Linus Kwak, who opened the first Dream Cyclery on Eglinton West in Toronto in 2015, before expanding and relocating to its current location at 390 Queens Quay West.
The premium independent bike shop features bicycles from Garneau, Devinci, Specialized, BMC, and Yeti Del Sol as well as a wide range of cycling accessories, and provides tune-ups, custom wheel builds, and more.
Dream Cyclery is open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday to Thursday, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday.
Peterborough & the Kawarthas Business Advisory Centre hosts business planning workshop in Peterborough on June 25
The Business Advisory Centre of Peterborough & the Kawarthas Economic Development is hosting “Business Planning” from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday, June 25th in the lower-level boardroom at VentureNorth (270 George St. N., Peterborough).
Part of the centre’s Business Fundamentals Workshop series, the session is designed to give you a strong foundation in business planning and to demonstrate the importance of a comprehensive business plan. The workshop will also share tools available for creating a business plan and top tips for creating a plan ready to share with banks and funding agencies to secure financing.
Lindsay & District Chamber of Commerce hosts member breakfast meet-up in Lindsay on June 26
The Lindsay & District Chamber of Commerce is hosting its next member-to-member (M2M) breakfast meet-up from 8 to 9 a.m. on Wednesday, June 26th at Smittys Family Restaurant (370 Kent St., Lindsay).
Bring your business cards and chat with other like-minded people while enjoying breakfast. Each attendee has the opportunity to introduce themselves and their business or organization.
No registration is required, and just order what you want and pay for what you order.
Peterborough Chamber hosts employee termination seminar in Peterborough on June 26
The next Peterborough Chamber of Commerce Lunch Box Learning seminar takes place from 12 to 1 p.m. on Wednesday, June 26th at the Chamber’s boardroom (175 George St. N., Peterborough).
Ryan Simms, business development manager of Peninsula Canada, will speak on the dos and don’ts of employee termination.
The seminar is free to attend for members of the Chamber and members of the Women’s Business Network of Peterborough. Bring your own lunch.
Peterborough DBIA holds its 2019 annual general meeting in Peterborough on June 26
The Peterborough Downtown Business Improvement Area (DBIA) is holding its 2019 annual general meeting at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday, June 26th in the Nexicom Studio at Showplace Performance Centre (290 George St. N., Peterborough).
Networking begins at 5:30 p.m. with the meeting beginning at 6 p.m. Everyone is welcome to attend the meeting, although only DBIA members can vote.
Community Futures Peterborough holds annual general meeting in Peterborough on June 27
Community Futures Peterborough is holding its annual general meeting from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Thursday, June 27th at the Peterborough Rugby Club (725 Armour Rd., Peterborough).
The event, which also features a community barbecue, will include the announcement of the winner of Community Futures Peterborough’s ignite100 entrepreneurial competition, from among the three finalists: Goodwin Metals, Cottage Toys, and Cambium Inc. The winner receives a $100,000 three-year interest-free loan, with no payments in the first year.
Hospice Peterborough holds annual general meeting in Peterborough on June 27
Hospice Peterborough is holding its annual general meeting from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. on Thursday, June 27th at McDonnel Activity Centre (577 McDonnel St., Peterborough).
The meeting will be followed by a celebration of Hospice Peterborough’s volunteers.
Peterborough Chamber hosts PBX Summer Social at Silver Bean Cafe in Peterborough on July 2
The Greater Peterborough Chamber of Commerce is holding its next Peterborough Business Exchange (PBX) from 4 to 6 p.m. on Tuesday, July 2nd at the Silver Bean Cafe (Millennium Park, Peterborough).
All are invited to attend the free networking event, described as a “summer social”. The Chamber is inviting food, beverage, and entertainment members to be showcased at the event.
Kawartha Chamber hosts a Stoney Lake boat cruise on July 4
The Kawartha Chamber of Commerce and Tourism’s next Business After Hours event features boat cruise on Stoney Lake from 4:30 to 7 p.m. on Thursday, July 4th at Stoney Lake Cruises (610 Mount Julian – Viamede Rd., Woodview).
Participants will board at 4:30 p.m. and the cruise will happen from 5 to 7 p.m. (rain or shine).
Appetizers will be provided by Burleigh Falls Inn (email info@kawarthachamber.ca if you have any dietary restrictions).
Note: This event has been rescheduled from June 20th due to high water levels on the Trent Severn Waterway has said the water levels.
Trent Hills Chamber of Commerce hosts Facebook for Business workshop in Campbellford on July 9
The Trent Hills Chamber of Commerce is hosting a “Facebook Business for Beginners” workshop from 8 to 8:45 a.m. on Tuesday, July 9th at the Chamber office (51 Grand Rd., Campbellford).
Chamber staff will provide tips and tricks on setting up your Facebook Page, creating your first post, and strategies for building a successful marketing tool on Facebook.
Peterborough Chamber hosts Chamber AM breakfast meeting in Peterborough on July 9
The next Peterborough Chamber of Commerce Chamber AM breakfast meeting takes place from 7 to 8:30 a.m. on Tuesday, July 9th at VentureNorth (270 George St. N., Peterborough).
Networking begins at 7 a.m., with breakfast orders taken at The Edison at 7:30 a.m. At 7:45 a.m., you can make your best 30-second elevator speech to the room), followed by a mystery guest speaker at 8 a.m.
There is no cost for the event (order what you like and pay for what you order).
Summer Company Staples Day in Peterborough on July 10
Summer Company Staples Day takes place in Peterborough on July 10, 2019. (Photo: Peterborough & the Kawarthas Business Advisory Centre)
Students participating in the Summer Company program will be showcasing their businesses on Wednesday, July 10th at Staples Peterborough (109 Park St. S., Peterborough).
Ontario’s flagship youth entrepreneurship program, Summer Company provides students aged 15 to 29 an opportunity to open and operate their own business during summer break. Peterborough & the Kawarthas Business Advisory Centre has partnered with the program since 2001.
The 2019 program is currently underway, with seven students at the high school and post-secondary levels getting ready to start their first business. Students are in the process of receiving a grant of $1,500 from the Ontario government to spend towards their start-up expenses.
Summer Company Staples Day not only provides students with the opportunity to showcase their businesses to the public, but provides them with experience in networking, advertisement, and communicating their brand to the community.
All are welcome to attend. More information will be provided closer to the date of the event.
Northumberland Chamber hosts business economic outlook breakfast meeting with MP Kim Russ and MPP David Piccini in Cobourg on July 11
The Northumberland Central Chambre of Commerce is hosting “Northumberland County Economic Outlook”, a breakfast meeting from 7:30 to 9:30 a.m. on Thursday, July 11th at The Mill Restaurant & Pub (990 Ontario St., Cobourg).
Northumberland—Peterborough South MP Kim Rudd and MPP David Piccini, along with Northumberland County Director of Economic Development & Tourism Dan Borowec, will each provide an overview of initiatives, objectives, challenges, and opportunities affecting economic development in Northumberland.
Registration and networking begins at 7:30 a.m., followed by breakfast and presentations at 8 a.m. and a question-and-answer session at 8:30 a.m.
The cost is $15 for Chamber members and $20 for non-members. Registration and payment is required by Tuesday, July 9th.
Innovation Cluster hosts open house in Peterborough on July 26
Innovation Cluster Peterborough & the Kawarthas is hosting an open house from 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Friday, July 26th at VentureNorth (270 George St. N., Peterborough).
Member of the public are invited to attend to find out more about the Innovation Cluster.
More information will be available closer to the date of the event.
For more business-related events in the Kawarthas, check out our Business Events column.
A Via Rail passenger train. (Photo: Magnolia677 / Wikipedia)
The Globe and Mail is reporting that the Liberal government will announce on Tuesday (June 25) that the Canada Infrastructure Bank is supporting VIA Rail’s plan to build a new high-frequency rail line from Quebec City to Toronto — including through Peterborough.
Peterborough-Kawartha MP Maryam Monsef will be in Peterborough on Tuesday to make an announcement at 11 a.m. on behalf of federal Minister of Transport Marc Garneau. At the same time, Garneau and Infrastructure Minister François-Philippe Champagne will be in Trois-Rivieres in Quebec, along with Canada Infrastructure Bank president and CEO Pierre Lavallée, to make an announcement.
Both announcements are described as “related to the advancement of VIA Rail Canada’s proposal for High Frequency Rail in the Quebec City-Toronto Corridor.”
The Canada Infrastructure Bank is an “arm’s length” Crown corporation that was created by the current Liberal government and is accountable to the Minister of Infrastructure. It has a budget of $35 billion to invest in infrastructure projects including public transit systems, trade and transportation corridors, and green infrastructure projects.
To date, the bank is investing $1.28 in Réseau express métropolitain to expand transit in Montréal and $2 billion to expand GO Transit’s rail network in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton area.
The Globe and Mail story states that anonymous government sources have confirmed that the Canada Infrastructure Bank will be providing funding for further study on how to “de-risk” the project, but that the announcement “does not represent the final green light for the project to proceed.”
VIA Rail’s initial plan was to build an exclusive high-frequency rail line from Montreal to Toronto through Quebec City and Peterborough at a cost of at least $4 billion, with an additional $2 billion for electric trains.
According to the Globe and Mail report, the route from Ottawa to Peterborough would mean converting a previously abandoned rail line which is currently a recreational trail and, for the stretch from Peterborough to Toronto, purchasing and upgrading an existing Canadian Pacific Railway line.
Monsef’s Tuesday announcement will take place at the office of the Greater Peterborough Chamber of Commerce. Chamber president and CEO Stuart Harrison has been a long-time advocate of bringing passenger rail service back to Peterborough. He was involved in the non-profit Shining Waters Railway corporation, which produced a 2011 study that inspired VIA Rail’s plan.
Environment Canada has just issued a special weather statement for most of the Kawarthas — including Peterborough, Kawartha Lakes, Haliburton, and Northumberland — for heavy rain on Monday night (June 24).
Showers and thunderstorms are forecast to develop this evening and then sweep across the area late this evening and tonight.
Locally heavy rainfall accumulations of 35 to 45 mm will be possible with these thunderstorms before they move out of the area late tonight.
Localized flooding in low-lying areas will be possible as a result of the rain.
Naloxone is a medication used to block the effects of opioids, especially in overdose, and is available as a nasal spray (pictured) or as an injection. The kits to be provided to downtown Peterborough businesses will be the nasal spray versions.
With the increase in opiod-related overdoses in Peterborough, the Peterborough Downtown Business Improvement Area (DBIA) has partnered with Peterborough Public Health and Harm Reduction Works @ PARN to provide naloxone kits, at no cost, to a number of strategically located downtown businesses.
Naloxone, sold under the brand name Narcan among others, is a medication used to temporarily reverse the effects of an opioid overdose, buying time for a person to get the necessary medical attention they may need. Naloxone has been successfully used to save lives in Peterborough and around the world.
Naloxone kits come in two versions: administered by injection or by nasal spray; the kits to be provided to downtown Peterborough businesses will be the nasal spray versions.
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Staff at the downtown businesses that have naloxone kits on site will be trained on how to identify and respond to an opioid poisoning or overdose. As well as DBIA members, the Greater Peterborough Chamber of Commerce is inviting its members to be trained and equipped with naloxone kits.
“We’re in the midst of an opioid crisis in Peterborough,” says DBIA executive director Terry Guiel. “We see first-hand people struggling with addiction and sadly, we’ve already lost too many members of our community. If helping local businesses know what to do when they see an opioid poisoning saves one life, it’s worth it.”
Peterborough Public Health and PARN will be providing brief training sessions along with the free kits in the front lobby of VentureNorth (270 George St. N., Peterborough) from 8 to 10 a.m. on Thursday, June 27th and Friday, June 28th, and from 8 to 10 a.m., 12 to 2 p.m, and 5 to 7 p.m. on Thursday, July 4th and Friday, July 5th.
“Having been in business for 43 years downtown, we see a crisis at the moment with overdoses and addiction and we feel we need to help the community and those in need of help anyway we can,” says Andrew Damiany, manager of Gentry Apparel.
Stickers will be available for any business that would like to display one in their window, to let people know they are trained on how to respond to an opioid poisoning.
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“We know that people working downtown are experiencing the impact of the opioid crisis on a daily basis and want to do what they can to help,” says PARN executive director Kim Dolan. “This initiative increases our collective response to opioid poisonings in our community and sends a strong message that people in Peterborough are prepared to step up and save lives.”
“This program reflects the caring attitude of the local business community towards people with addictions and the growing awareness that this issue affects us all,” adds Dr. Rosana Salvaterra, Medical Officer of Health at Peterborough Public Health.
“In some ways, this demonstration of compassion is just as effective as the naloxone itself because it reduces the terrible stigma faced by people who struggle with addictions. Stigma remains one of the biggest barriers preventing people from seeking treatment. Kindness, as well as clinical interventions, are the key ingredients to solving this issue.”
The kits are being provided by the DBIA, PARN, Peterborough Public Health, and the City of Peterborough.
VIDEO: Saving people from opioid overdoses with naloxone
“The litmus test of a caring and compassionate community is how we treat our most vulnerable,” says Peterborough Police Service deputy chief Tim Farquharson.
“Addiction is not a moral failure; it is a medical disorder. We are all in this dilemma together and it will take us all, as a community, working collaboratively to reverse this tragic tide of needless death. Thanks very much to our Downtown Business Improvement Area group for taking a leadership role in this epic challenge.”
For interested in receiving thorough and no-cost overdose response training, Question of Care Peterborough offers training sessions throughout the year. Visit questionofcare.com for information on upcoming sessions.
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