GreenUP staff enjoy a picnic at Ecology Park in Peterborough using waste-free and reusable alternatives to disposable and single-use food packing options. Stainless steel containers, water bottles, reusable drinking boxes, lunch bags, totes, and fabric snack bags -- available at the GreenUP Store -- will help you create a convenient, nutritious, and fun picnic. (Photo: Vern Bastable / GreenUP)
It’s summertime and the livin’ is easy!
Each week, GreenUP provides a story related to the environment. This week’s story is by Kristen Larocque, GreenUP Store Coordinator.
Beachside picnics and road trips may be on the horizon for your family this season. Have you ever noticed how food just tastes better outside? When I was a child, the highlight of summertime ventures often included the fun meals and snacks enjoyed in the great outdoors.
When looking for ways to make picnic packing more efficient, we can also strive to reduce our waste and minimize our reliance on single-use disposables.
When preparing for your family outing, instead of planning to stop for fast food, try to anticipate most of your family’s needs and pack food, beverages, and other picnic necessities in advance.
Take the time to plan and prepare for your outing by anticipating your en route food and drink needs. It’s a great idea to fill your water bottle, and maybe even a spare one, for each member of your family.
If your family is a fan of juice boxes, you can substitute them with a refillable version offered at the GreenUP Store. To cut down on sugar, try making some home-brewed fruit-infused water; simply add berries or cucumber to your water bottle. A quick Google search will bring up some great recipes too, which will make for a special drink without the unnecessary sugar or packaging.
If you’re planning for a road trip, consider packing your cooler with a little more food than you think you need, just in case. Ultimately, the needs that you don’t anticipate may lead to unnecessary purchases, such as a bottled beverage, which means yet another item will go to landfill.
GreenUP Store Coordinator Kristen Larocque with the many non-disposable and reusable products available at the GreenUP Store to help you have a zero-waste picnic or outing. (Photo: GreenUP)
Items packed for single servings, such as granola bars, may seem convenient but their wrapper is not recyclable and will end up in the landfill. Consider baking your own nutrient-rich alternative. If you bake large batches you can freeze the extras and thaw bars as needed. This is a great way to save time and money.
In addition, there are hundreds of blog posts and online articles that feature picnic ideas. One of my favourite picnic menu items is fresh fruit or vegetable skewers.
The GreenUP Store carries a wide variety of alternatives to make your picnic packing easy. Consider replacing plastic zip bags with reusable fabric snack bags made in Canada by Colibri. These fun patterned bags offer the element of surprise and the novelty of opening a package. They are reusable, easy to wipe out at the end of the day, and can be tossed in the washing machine when they need a deeper clean.
Plastic wrap can also be replaced with a reusable alternative: beeswax food wraps are reusable, washable, and compostable after a year of regular use. This is also a great option if packing light is at the top of your priority list.
If you are headed to the beach and have plenty of carrying capacity, a basket or cooler loaded with stainless steel containers full of delicious eats can easily meet your family’s meal and snack needs. Reusable stainless steel containers, thermoses, and water bottles are hard wearing, long lasting, light, and free of BPA and other harmful toxins.
The GreenUP Store offers zero-waste items such as Abeego, a natural, reusable, eco-conscious food storage option created with hemp/cotton fabric infused with a blend of beeswax and plant extracts. (Photo: GreenUP)
If you have to purchase meals en route, you can try to select an option with less packaging. For example, choosing a burrito wrapped in paper is a more environmentally friendly option than a full-sized meal packed in a Styrofoam take-out container, which is not recyclable in the City of Peterborough as of 2016.
Another option when, for example, visiting a roadside food truck, is to bring your own container and ask if your take-out food can be put in your reusable alternative. And, when it comes to ice cream, choose a cone, which is a waste-free and edible alternative to the disposable bowl and spoon option.
Rather than using disposable paper plates and plastic utensils, bring along some reusable stainless steel plates and cups, along with a bamboo utensil set. Consider keeping a set of utensils and a cloth napkin in your car or purse, ready for when you need it. The GreenUP Stores carries these kinds of products in addition to the ever popular stainless steel straws! You can buy them in bulk without the packaging, or in packs of four with a cleaning brush.
Summer outings, complete with picnic or road-tripping snacks, offer an opportunity for parents to instill healthy eating habits and foster environmental responsibility in their children.
The GreenUP Store offers a variety of tools to help you create a convenient, nutritious, and fun picnic. We carry many reusable stainless steel container options in many sizes including Planet Box, and many other brands that feature easy-to-open lids, silicone seals, and insulated double-walls for keeping meals warm or cold. We have reusable bottles, drinking boxes, lunch bags and totes, fabric snack bags, and more!
For more information, visit www.greenup.on.ca/greenup-store/ or come to the GreenUP Store at 378 Aylmer Street in downtown Peterborough. You can also contact the GreenUP store at 705-745-3238 ext. 222 or email kristen.larocque@greenup.on.ca with your zero-waste picnic questions.
One of Canada's original cowpunk bands, Edmonton's Jr. Gone Wild performs at The Red Dog in Peterborough on June 25, 2018. (Publicity photo)
June is always a fabulous month full of beautiful weather and excellent music in Peterborough and the Kawarthas. While there are still shows inside at venues across the region, some regular outdoor shows begin to kick-off during summer’s first month as well.
Live and Local Lunches in downtown Peterborough on Fridays during June
Peterborough’s Downtown Business Improvement Area continues its new musical tradition of Live and Local Lunches series this summer.
The concerts take place in the courtyard of Peterborough Square (corner of Water and Charlotte Streets) on Fridays from noon to 1 p.m.. The idea is for local folks to bring a bagged lunch or get some food from one of the great downtown restaurants and check out some great local music as the weekend approaches.
This June, the entertainment includes The Fabulous Tonemasters on June 8th, Emily Burgess on June 15th, Paper Shakers on June 22nd, and Robin Hawkins (son of the great Ronnie Hawkins) on June 29th.
VIDEO: “Til I Get To Call You My Own” – Emily Burgess
Broken Harmony at The Red Dog Peterborough on June 8 and and at The Arlington in Maynooth on June 9
Local guitar player and singer-songwriter Brandon Humphrey paid his dues touring across Canada for several years with Chris Culgin and playing in a pretty large roster of other bands in Peterborough. On June 8th and 9th, he and his band Broken Harmony will release their very first album Time Will Tell.
The June 8th show takes place at The Red Dog The Historic Red Dog Tavern (189 Hunter St. W, Peterborough, 705-750-1710) and the June 9th is closer to Brandon’s hometown of Bancroft at The Arlington Pub (32990 Highway 62, Maynooth, 613-338-2080), with start times of both shows around 9 p.m.
Broken Harmony always delivers a high-energy and high-calibre performance. Tickets for either show are $10 and are available in advance at ticketscene.com or at the door of each venue.
VIDEO: Broken Harmony on The Wolf
Little Fire and Softie at The Garnet in Peterborough on June 9
Folk and rock will collide on Saturday, June 9th at The Garnet (231 Hunter St. W., Peterborough, 705-874-0107) when Little Fire and Softie perform.
Little Fire is a band fronted by Sue Nelson, formerly of The Loud Sisters and Scratch. Their music has some flavours of ’60s rock, but also has a certain unique sound. Perhaps you could say indie for adults (or adult alternative).
Alisha Embury and Ashton Swinnerton are the folk duo Softie. (Photo: Mary Payne)
Softie is one of Peterborough’s newest acts featuring Alisha Embury on guitar and vocals and Ashton Swinnerton on fiddle and vocals. Their music is ethereal and meaningful.
The show begins around 5 p.m. and you can pay at the door.
Catfish Willie and the Buckle Busters at The Black Horse in Peterborough on June 10
It’s a Peterborough institution: Catfish Willie and the Buckle Busters are at The Black Horse Pub (452 George St. N., Peterborough, 705-742-0633) for a matinee on Sunday, June 10th.
Western swing tunes are performed by a crackerjack band fronted by Catfish Willie. There is no cover for the show and it begins at 3 p.m.
Lots of fun to be had by all!
VIDEO: Catfish Willie and the Buckle Busters
Nick Faye & The Deputies, Hello Delaware, and Nick Ferrio at The Garnet in Peterborough on June 12
Something musically wicked this way comes on Tuesday, June 12th, when a three-headed monster of a show featuring artists from a few corners of Canada hits The Garnet (231 Hunter St. W., Peterborough, 705-874-0107).
Nick Faye & The Deputies from Saskatchewan bring their indie/folk mix, Hello Delaware from Nova Scotia brings her wicked cool tunes, and local songster Nick Ferrio rounds out the night.
Tickets are available at the door and are $10 or pay what you can. The show begins around 9 p.m.
VIDEO: “Hold Me Back” – Nick Faye & The Deputies
VIDEO: “I Never Asked” – Hello Delaware
VIDEO: “Hide My Love” – Nick Ferrio
Live Music on the Boardwalk at Elmhirst’s Resort in Keene on Tuesdays during June
Elmhirst’s Resort (1045 Settlers Line, Keene, 705-295-4591 or 800-461-1940) continues its popular Live Music on the Boardwalk series this summer. Every Tuesday night from 6:30 to 9 p.m. there will be an excellent Texas-style BBQ and great music.
On June 12th, it’s one of Elmhirst’s favourite acts, local blues gurus the Al Black Trio. Then, on June 19th it’s Johnny and Jane, who sing tunes from soul to blues to classic rock. On June 26th, it’s Fred Stillman and his band.
There is no cover and the shows are open to the public.
VIDEO: Al Black Trio at Elmhirst’s Resort
Jesse O’Brien and Chris Caddell at the Dominion Hotel in Minden on June 16
A couple of Canadian blues legends hit the Dominion Hotel (113 Main St., Minden, 705-286-6954) on Saturday, June 16th when Jesse O’Brien and Chris Caddell bring a bad case of the blues to town.
The guitar and keyboard masters both tour the country in the Colin James Band. O’Brien is one of Canada’s most sought after keyboard players, having performed with Ronnie Hawkins, Cowboy Junkies, Levon Helm, Lee Harvey Osmond (Tom Wilson), Steve Strongman, and more. Caddell has a number of projects on the go, including being music director for the Sass Jordan Band and performing in his own band The Wreckage.
Tickets are $20 and are available on Eventbrite. The show begins at 8 p.m.
VIDEO: “Same Old Blues” – Jesse O’Brien and Chris Caddell
Micah Barnes at Showplace in Peterborough on June 23
On Saturday, June 23rd, cabaret-style singer and performer Micah Barnes returns to Peterborough for an intimate show of jazz in the Nexicom Studio at Showplace Performance Centre (290 George St. N., Peterborough, 705-742-7469).
The award-winning Barnes began performing the cabarets and jazz clubs of Toronto while still a teenager, and became a well-known singer-songwriter on the Queen Street scene before joining a capella/pop act The Nylons and touring the world.
For his solo career, Barnes returned to his cabaret and jazz roots with New York Stories, an homage to the legendary jazz music of New York City. He’s currently recording a new album that will transport listeners back to the days of the legendary Las Vegas showrooms with songs first recorded by Sammy Davis Jr, Tony Bennett, Nat King Cole, Mel Torme, and Frank Sinatra.
Barnes will be performing his “New York Stories” at Nexicom Studio. Tickets are $30 and can be purchased online at www.showplace.org.
VIDEO: “New York Story” – Micah Barnes
Jr. Gone Wild at The Red Dog in Peterborough on June 25
One of Canada’s original cowpunk bands, Jr. Gone Wild is returning to Peterborough for the first time in a long time. The band will bring their alt-country (with emphasis on the alt) sound to the stage on Monday, June 25th at The Historic Red Dog Tavern (189 Hunter St. W, Peterborough, 705-750-1710).
Jr. Gone Wild was formed in the 1980s and performed into the 1990s, taking a long hiatus in 1995 until reforming five years ago with Mike McDonald, Dove Brown, Larry Shelast, and Steve Loree.
Opening the show will be Mayhemingways. The show will be an early one, with Mayhemingways on at 8 p.m. followed by Jr. Gone Wild at 9 p.m. Tickets are $10 and are available in advanced at Ticketscene.
VIDEO: “Barricades (The Hockey Riot Song)” – Jr. Gone Wild
Chamber member and not-for-profit charitable organization Camp Kawartha is hosting its annual Surf 'n' Turf Gala Dinner & Auction on Saturday, June 23rd. Funds raised at the event provide children and youth opportunities to participate in all that a camp experience can offer -- new skills, new adventures, new friends -- and inspire them to be positive stewards of the environment in all its forms. (Photo: Camp Kawartha)
One of the perks of my job as a consultant is getting insights into what sectors of the economy are growing so I can help businesses and organizations to develop strategies to grow their market share.
According to Stats Canada, the retail sector in Canada grew by 10.8 per cent between March 2017 and March 2018.
Specialty food retailers saw an increase of 9.1 per cent. This is a trend that continues to rise — tourists and day-trippers seek out farmers’ markets, roadside stands, and browse downtown retailers for something special to add to their recipes. We are proud to have several Chamber members that offer a #WealthOfChoice for #LocalFood — visit our Food & Beverage directory listing.
The retail sector is vital to our #LocalEconomy with plenty of #JobOpportunities for all ages and experience levels. Did you know that the Workforce Development Board features a Labour Market Gateway that lists the highest demand occupations in our region? Learn more.
Summer is the busiest time for the majority of our members. We have hired summer students to give directions and make referrals for the best places to shop, grab something to eat, and explore the area. Chamber Members are invited to drop off brochures and information at the Chamber office (under the town clock) in Lakefield for display as space allows.
The Chamber is Working Hard to Promote its Members and Region
The Kawartha Chamber is closing in on 3,500 followers on its social media platforms. Mention the Chamber in your posts or use the hashtags #KawarthaChamber and #WealthofChoice.
The Chamber will help increase your engagement by liking, sharing, or retweeting. Do the same for the Chamber to help grow the reach and awareness of its member businesses and communities.
Send your member news to info@kawarthachamber.ca to be shared on the Chamber’s social media pages.
In addition, the Chamber website received over 6,000 page views in May, with the business directory as the most visited page on the site. That is over 6,000 views of the Chamber’s standard and select member’s rotating website ads, and many of the visitors searching through member listings.
You can also send your upcoming events to info@kawarthachamber.ca to be posted on the Chamber’s events calendar, or you can post them yourself if you prefer through your Member Information Centre login.
Earn Your Chamber Membership for Free
Did you know you could earn your Chamber membership for free? Here’s how;
Pay your membership dues within 30 days of the invoice date and be entered into a draw for a free membership next year (to be drawn at the AGM).
Refer a new member and once they have paid, you will earn 10 per cent off next year’s membership dues. Refer 10 new members and yours is free!
The Chamber Discusses Mental Health in the Workplace
The BOSS seminar on mental health in the workplace was moderated by Roberta Herod (second from right) with expert panelists Ashley Challinor, Jack Veitch, and Dave Pogue.
The Chamber recently hosted a Business Owners Sharing Solutions (BOSS) session on mental health in the workplace, organizing an expert panel to educate attendees: Ashley Challinor (Ontario Chamber of Commerce), Jack Veitch (Canadian Mental Health Association, Halliburton, Kawarthas, Pine Ridge), and Dave Pogue (Team 55 Tackling Suicide Awareness).
Over 45 members and future members attended to hear how issues of mental health can be addressed and mitigated in the work environment. The Chamber’s experts did not disappoint, providing excellent information on various techniques, programs, and resources that business owners, organizations, and individuals can access.
For information on Chamber programs like BOSS, go to kawarthachamber.ca.
The Chamber thanks its Professional Development Sponsor: Lynn Woodcroft, Sales Representative, Royal LePage Frank Real Estate.
Peterborough County Considering Elimination of the Vacant Unit Rebate
The County of Peterborough is considering elimination of the Vacant Unit Rebate Program by December 31, 2020. The program applies to vacant commercial and industrial properties, and provides landlords with a tax break for properties with no current tenant.
A public meeting will be held on this issue prior to its elimination and the date will be communicated to the public in advance.
The meeting will likely occur before the end of September 2018. The Kawartha Chamber will provide the date of this meeting, as well as any other pertinent information, when it is made available. Read the council minutes (Item 10 g).
OCC Rapid Policy Updates on Major Provincial Party Platforms
The Ontario Chamber of Commerce (OCC) has released its Rapid Policy Updates for all the major party platforms.
The OCC Rapid Policy Updates provide an overview of each the party’s platform highlights, followed by an analysis based on the OCC’s policy recommendations platform “Vote Prosperity”.
Vote Prosperity is a thoroughly researched platform that provides recommendations on improving the global competitiveness of Ontario businesses, building healthy communities, fostering job growth, and improving government accountability.
The Ontario Chamber would like to encourage all members to consider the recommendations and analyses, and vote for prosperity on June 7th.
Keeping Business at the Forefront With Local MPP Candidates
The Kawartha Chamber hosted an all-candidates meeting on Wednesday, May 23rd.
Moderator David Goyette asked pre-submitted member questions to the candidates on various subjects, including the cost of housing, the shortage of skilled trade apprenticeships, and the high cost of doing business in Ontario.
After the moderated portion, members of the audience were able to ask their questions.
There were some interesting and insightful questions asked both during the moderated and audience Q&A portions. Recordings of both portions are available in the video section of the Chamber’s Facebook page.
Special thanks go to the Lakefield Legion for providing the space for this event.
Chambers Of Commerce Group Insurance Plan
The Chambers of Commerce Group Insurance Plan is one of the amazing discounts that the Kawartha Chamber offers to members. Visit the Member Discounts page to find out more about this and other great offers.
Death by 130,000 Cuts: Improving Canada’s Regulatory Competitiveness
The Canadian Chamber of Commerce has released a report as part of its “Regulate Smarter” campaign called Death by 130,000 Cuts.
The complexity of Canada’s regulatory system has created a costly and uncertain environment in which to run a business. Increasing compliance costs and inefficient, unpredictable regulatory processes negatively impact business productivity, innovation, and ultimately Canada’s economic growth.
The report outlines the shortcomings in federal regulatory policy, and how elected officials, regulators, and businesses can work together to fix it. Read the full report.
Standard Member Spotlight
Camp Kawartha Welcomes Summer with Annual Surf ‘N’ Turf Gala Dinner & Auction
Nestled on the shores of Clear Lake, and with more than 185 acres of wetlands, woodlands and meadows, Camp Kawartha’s Outdoor Education Centre and summer camp (1010 Birchview Road, Douro-Dummer) is a natural for outdoor learning. (Photo: Camp Kawartha)
As a charity, Camp Kawartha conducts events that not only raise their profile, but also generate funds to sustain their programming and services.
2018 marks the 29th anniversary of the popular Surf ‘n’ Turf Gala Dinner & Auction set for Saturday, June 23rd.
Funds raised at the event provide children and youth opportunities to participate in all that a camp experience can offer — new skills, new adventures, new friends &mdash and inspire them to be positive stewards of the environment in all its forms.
Please plan to attend and connect with over 250 guests from Clear and Stoney Lakes, as well as Douro and Selwyn Townships, Peterborough business leaders, and government officials. Tickets are $175 per person.
Chamber Offers Preferred Rate on Merchant Services Through First Data
Did you know the Kawartha Chamber offers an affinity program with First Data Merchant Services, offering you discounted rates on Visa, Mastercard, and Interac?
Basic rates are Visa 1.44 per cent, MasterCard 1.46 per cent, and Interac $0.05 (additional fees apply.) First Data guarantees to lower your overall cost of credit card payment processing. Also available through First Data: SMART Point of Sale Terminals.
Did you know that the Ontario Chamber of Commerce provides energy efficiency incentives for our member businesses and organizations?
The Know Your Power program offers a variety of cost-subsidizing incentives for businesses to reduce their electricity and natural gas consumption. There are incentives for energy audits, to retrofit existing buildings, and to incorporate efficiency into new constructions. There are even incentives for some businesses to hire an Energy Manager.
Also, businesses can access additional energy programs through the Green Ontario Fund. This fund offers incentives for small and medium-sized businesses, as well as for larger organizations.
For more information about the businesses and events listed above, please visit the Kawartha Chamber of Commerce & Tourism website at kawarthachamber.ca.
All photos supplied by Kawartha Chamber of Commerce except where noted.
Globus Theatre has a full summer of shows at the Lakeview Arts Barn at 2300 Pigeon Lake Road in Bobcaygeon.
One of the best things about my summer is my annual visits to Globus Theatre at the Lakeview Arts Barn in Bobcaygeon.
Every time I make the scenic drive to this grand old barn, I know that I’m going to have a great night. Not only am I sure to see what is always consistently a good show, but I also am greeted by a warm and welcoming staff, superb performances, and a beautiful and inviting theatrical space unlike any in the area.
Headed by artistic producer James Barrett and artistic director Sarah Quick, this year Globus Theatre enters its 15th season with a series of shows calculated to continue the excellence that brings audiences back to the Lakeview Arts Barn every summer.
Globus Theatre’s artistic producer James Barrett and artistic director Sarah Quick at Lakeview Arts Barn during last year’s production of “Raising The Barn”. (Photo: Sam Tweedle / kawarthaNOW)
“When you look at the different shows there is risky stuff, new stuff, creative stuff and theatrically different stuff,” says Sarah Quick of the 2018 season. “It’s going to be a nice mixture.”
Globus first performed “Sunshine Express”, written by Sarah Quick and featuring her and James Barrett, in 2010. (Photo: Catherine Whitnall)
Although Globus’ summer season officially begins at the end of June, theatre goers can jump start the season with the presentation of a past favourite, Sunshine Express, which runs from Thursday, June 7th to Saturday, June 9th.
These performances are a short precursor to a mini-tour of the show, which includes a run of performances at the Gayety Theatre in Collingwood from June 12th to 16th. There will also be a one-night performance at the Village Playhouse in Bancroft at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, June 6th (tickets are $25, available at Hospice, Vintage on Hastings, Posies, Harvest Moon on online at www.bancroftvillageplayhouse.ca).
Written by Sarah and featuring her and James alongside Globus regulars Mark Whelan and Anna Silvija Broks, this marks the third time Sunshine Express has been performed at Globus since its debut in 2010.
A show about a young couple who take a seniors’ bus trip to Florida, the play features the four performers creating 30 different characters through voice, body language, and characterizations.
“Sunshine Express was written purely to encourage DeNure Tours to be our season sponsor,” Sarah explains. “I told them that I would write a show about a bus tour down to Florida that made everybody leaving the show wanting to take a bus tour. So James and I took the bus tour down to Florida — 26 hours straight down — with all the elderly people.
“It’s almost entirely biographical. I was worried that I couldn’t write a show with enough humour in it, but within five minutes it was writing itself. You’d be sitting there, and all these elderly people are having sing songs and having the time of their life. It was joyous and wonderful because these people who are going on these tours are all saying ‘Let’s go and do this! Let’s travel! Let’s experience life!’ It was very easy to write in the end.”
Across the Pond: The British Invasion (June 26th – July 7th)
Leisa Way and The Wayward Wind Band perform music by English singers-songwriters in “Across the Pond: The British Invasion”. (Photo: Way-To-Go Productions)
Globus’ summer season officially opens on Tuesday, June 26th, when Leisa Way and The Wayward Wind Band return for Leisa’s newest musical revue Across the Pond: The British Invasion.
A favourite at Globus Theatre, Leisa has become a fixture each summer with her musical tributes. In the past, she has presented the music of Dolly Parton, Judy Garland, Patsy Cline, as well as a tribute to the history of Canadian music.
For her latest show, Leisa and her group take on the British Invasion featuring the music of The Beatles, Eric Clapton, Annie Lennox, The Hollies, Herman’s Hermits, Led Zeppelin, Queen, Petula Clark, Elton John, and more.
VIDEO: Across the Pond: The British Invasion
“Leisa and her band are super talented,” James says. “They highlight different music each time they are here. Leisa is incredible but now it’s really amazing to see the talent of her band, who are becoming more involved in the show with their singing and performance.”
“It’s huge when you are producing stuff to know that someone is going to come in that is going to be nice to work with and give a good product,” Sarah adds. “There is nobody that can leave this theatre and not be entertained after seeing one of Leisa’s shows. It may not be your style of music, and it may not be your cup of tea, but there is no denying the talent that everybody has that is on that stage.”
Lunenburg (July 11th – July 21st)
The real-life town of Lunenburg, Nova Scotia, is the setting for Norm Foster’s latest play “Lunenburg”. (Photo: Wikipedia)
From July 11th to 21st, Globus presents Norm Foster’s newest show, Lunenburg, which made its theatrical debut last year at the Norm Foster Festival in St. Catharines.
When Iris Oulette inherits a house that she didn’t even know existed, she and her close friend travel from the United States to the town of Lunenburg, Nova Scotia, to have a look at her new property. What follows is a series of world-changing surprises, heart-warming personal transformations, and a fall-down-funny romantic adventure.
“Norm Foster has a large canon of plays, so there is a huge pick to choose from,” Sarah says. “So when you talk about a flow of a season to finding the right play to fit in among the rest of our season, you can guarantee that one of his plays will be one that fits in.”
“We’ve had a few seasons without him, but Norm Foster is a good writer,” James adds. “He writes some very funny plays with a lot of heart to them. Lunenburg is a lovely play.”
Like Father, Like Son? Sorry (July 24th – August 4th)
In his one-man show “Like Father, Like Son? Sorry”, comedian Chris Gibbs talks about his experience of becoming a new father. (Graphic: Chris Gibbs)
From July 24th to August 4th, Chris Gibbs — another Globus favourite — returns with his one-man show Like Father, Like Son? Sorry which has been featured at both Just for Laughs and the Winnipeg Comedy Festival.
James and Sarah first had Chris to Globus for their first season 15 years ago, and most recently last year as part of their successful immersive theatrical experience Raising the Barn.
Written after his son Beckett was born, Like Father, Like Son? Sorry is about Gibbs’ experience of becoming a new father and about his fears of being a bad one.
“We met Chris twenty years ago on the Fringe circuit,” Sarah says. “He’s British, and he started as a street performer in Convent Garden, and then came to Canada and was a busker at all the Fringe festivals that James and I were performing. He eventually moved indoors and started doing comedy shows, and was doing a lot of stand up and one-man shows.
“What you get from his shows is a little bit of a theatrical mix. It’s a play, it’s a story, but he’s also riffing on a bit of stand up as well. He’s a very naturally funny guy, and I believe there are points in the show where he can say whatever he wants, and talk about whatever’s happening around here at that particular time.”
Murder for Two – A Musical Comedy (August 8th – August 18th)
Victor Pokinko and Matt Pilipiak (shown here with Scott Garland in the 2015 production “Three Men in a Boat”) return to the Lakeview Arts Barn in Bobcaygeon in “Murder for Two”. (Photo: Pea Green Theatre Group)
Then, from August 4th to August 18th, Globus presents Murder for Two by Kellen Blair and Joe Kinoshian. A musical murder mystery, Murder for Two features the talents of Matt Pilipiak and Victor Pokinko who delighted Globus audiences in 2015 in Three Men in a Boat.
“It’s a musical comedy murder mystery,” James says. “It’s really funny. What happens is that this author dies and this police officer comes out to investigate it. It’s a two hander, where one actor plays the police officer, and the other plays all the suspects that are in the room. It is hysterical.”
What makes Murder for Two even more exciting is that the show will unveil Globus’ latest acquisition to their space: theatrical legend Colm Wilkinson’s personal grand piano. A true treasure for any theatre to own, Sarah and James acquired the piano earlier this year after coming into contact with Wilkinson through James’ Toronto production of Marie Jones’ Stones in His Pockets in 2015, which prompted the celebrated thespian to visit the Lakeview Arts Barn for the show’s revival in 2016.
Globus Theatre recently acquired theatrical legend Colm Wilkinson’s personal grand piano. The celebrated thespian visited the Lakeview Arts Barn in 2016 to see “Stones in His Pockets”. (Publicity photo)
“When James was directing Stones in His Pocket, Colm Wilkinson went and saw it, and then when we did it here he came and saw it again,” Sarah recaps. “A woman who we worked with last year in Funny Farmers, Kelly Holliff, tours and sings a lot with Colm Wilkinson, and at the end of last year she posted on Facebook that he was leaving touring, and he was retiring back to Ireland and he has this grand piano that he is trying to sell.
“Everybody wanted it, and we thought that it’d be great to have the Phantom of the Opera’s grand piano! I wrote to Kelly that I’d love it but there was no way that we’d be able to afford it. She wrote me back and said ‘Why don’t you write him and make an offer, because he wants to make sure it’s going to a good home.’ So we made him an offer, and he accepted it. He liked the space, and he liked what we were doing. So we have Colm Wilkinson’s grand piano upstairs, and he even signed it for us.”
However, that wasn’t the only gift that Globus received from Colm Wilkinson.
“He gave us a box of CDs to sell over the summer,” Sarah adds. “Once we sell all of them, we’ll have gotten back the money that we spent on the grand piano. We are excited to have a part of theatre history in our space, and the boys doing Murder for Two are excited to be playing it!”
Sugar Road (August 22nd – September 1st)
This summer at the Lakeview Arts Barn, Sarah Quick and Jake Simmons reprise their roles from the Theatre Orangeville production of “Sugar Road”. (Photo: Theatre Orangeville / Facebook)
Globus wraps up its summer season with their final show, Sugar Road by Kristen Da Silva, which runs from August 22nd to September 1st. A new play from one of Canada’s hottest new playwrights, Sugar Road made its debut last October in Orangeville with Sarah in one of the show’s leading roles.
“It revolves around a very handsome cowboy country singer named Jesse Emberly,” Sarah says. “When he rolls into town everyone goes a little crazy, especially my character Caroline who has a huge crush on him.”
“It’s a very lovely play by a very up and coming playwright,” James adds. “Kristen has a lot of shows being produced this year. We are very happy to be doing this show.”
In the role of Jesse Emberly is Jake Simmons, who originated the role in Orangeville.
“Obviously getting a very good looking cowboy to play the part is very important, and we managed to get him to come to Bobcaygeon,” Sarah says. “He’s also the actor who played the Patrick Swayze role of Johnny Castle in the Mirvish production of Dirty Dancing in Toronto.”
Sugar Road also features the song “Coming Home”, which was originally written for the show by Ian Blackwood and found its way onto the Canadian Country Music Charts late last year.
Three children’s shows and two more performances of The Great Butter Tart Tour Mystery
Six shows in three months makes a very busy summer schedule, but there are even more events featured in Globus Theatre’s schedule through June to September.
Following the success of last year’s Saturday morning family events, Globus has another three shows aimed at children throughout the summer. On Saturday, July 14th, Solar Stage comes to the theatre for Memorable Munsch, featuring adaptations of legendary children’s author Robert Munsh. On Saturday, July 28th, the Little Red Theatre arrives for their production of Peter Rabbit. Saturday, August 4th sees the return of Toronto’s The Dog Pound which presents improv shows for children.
Globus will also be performing two encore performances of The Great Butter Tart Tour Mystery, which made its debut earlier in May. Their annual murder mystery dinner theatre, this wildly funny tale of sweet treats and bitter betrayals was produced in conjunction with the Kawartha Lakes Butter Tart tour. The Great Butter Tart Tour Mystery will be performed on Monday, July 30th and Saturday, September 29th.
One of the truly special places in the Kawarthas, Globus Theatre at the Lakeview Arts Barn is such an important part of my summer.
I can’t express enough my recommendation that you make the short drive to Bobcaygeon for one of their wonderful evenings of entertainment.
The 18th annual Peterborough's Dragon Boat Festival takes place on June 9, 2018 at Del Crary Park in Peterborough. There's still time to sponsor a paddler or a team, with all proceeds going to support breast cancer screening, diagnosis, and treatment at Peterborough Regional Health Centre. (Photo: Linda McIlwain / kawarthaNOW.com)
There’s no doubt the Peterborough’s Dragon Boat Festival has helped save lives. Over the past 17 years, the annual festival has raised more than $3.1 million for breast cancer screening, diagnosis, and treatment at Peterborough Regional Health Centre (PRHC). Last year alone, the festival raised $182,518.58 in donations to the PRHC Foundation.
It’s not too late to make your own contribution by sponsoring a paddler or a team at this year’s festival, which takes place on Saturday, June 9th at Del Crary Park in Peterborough.
To sponsor a paddler or team, or to make a general donation to the festival, visit ptbodragonboat.ca. Use the website’s search function to find one of the 68 Dragon Boat teams or one of the almost 1,000 individual paddlers who are participating in this year’s festival.
Survivors Abreast hosts Peterborough’s Dragon Boat Festival, where the team will be paddling for its 18th year on June 9, 2018. (Photo courtesy of Peterborough’s Dragon Boat Festival)
As one in eight women — your mother, your wife, your daughter, your sister, your aunt, your friend — will develop breast cancer in her lifetime, donations in support of the Peterborough’s Dragon Boat Festival are vital. This year’s goal is $188,000, and the festival is just half way there. Your support right now can help the festival reach its target.
Hosted by Survivors Abreast (a competitive Peterborough-based Dragon Boat team made up of breast cancer survivors) and presented by Platinum Sponsor Kawartha Credit Union for the 17th year, this year’s festival will raise funds for the PRHC Foundation to invest in new laboratory automation technology that supports efficient processing of tissue and cytological samples.
The new technology will ensure lab technologists at PRHC can provide pathologists with the materials they need to make accurate breast cancer diagnoses even sooner.
Proceeds from the 2018 Peterborough’s Dragon Boat Festival will be used to purchase two new tissue processors for the Peterborough Regional Health Centre lab, so technologists will be able to process samples taken during cancer biopsies and surgeries even more efficiently. (Photo courtesy of PRHC Foundation)
“For a cancer patient and their loved ones, two of the hardest things to deal with are waiting and uncertainty,” says PRHC Foundation President & CEO Lesley Heighway. “Doctors rely on lab results to determine and confirm 100 per cent of cancer diagnoses and treatment decisions.”
But the new technology isn’t just used for breast cancer: PRHC’s lab processes more than 20,000 cancer-related cases every year. Without the lab, there would be no cancer care at PRHC.
The 2018 festival will support the purchase of two new tissue processors for the lab — an $188,000.00 investment. In case you’re wondering, governments fund only a portion of what hospitals need to provide the best possible care to their patients, so hospitals must raise funds to ensure they have state-of-the-art equipment.
During Peterborough’s Dragon Boat Festival on June 9, 2018, 68 community, junior, competitive, and breast cancer survivor teams race their Dragon Boats on Little Lake throughout the day. (Photo: Linda McIlwain / kawarthaNOW.com)
While the goal of the festival is to raise funds, it’s also a great day out on the water featuring a fantastic display of passion and endurance as 68 community, junior, competitive, and breast cancer survivor teams race their Dragon Boats on Little Lake throughout the day (see the Race schedule).
On race day, the three Dragon Boat teams who have raised the most funds will be treated like queens and kings. The Dragon’s Lair returns for the top fundraising team, and new this year are the Dragon’s Loft for the second-place fundraising team and the Dragon’s Nest for the third-place fundraising team.
Each location includes a canopy tent where teams can relax, enjoy food and beverages, have exclusive access to the “Pink Potty”, receive swag bags, and more. For the top two fundraising teams, there are even more extra perks, such as the dedicated butler in the Dragon’s Lair!
The inaugural Dragon’s Lair, introduced at the 2016 Peterborough’s Dragon Boat Festival as a reward for the top fundraising team. This year, there will also be the Dragon’s Loft and the Dragon’s Nest for the second- and third-place fundraising teams. (Photo courtesy of Peterborough’s Dragon Boat Festival)
If you’re planning to head to Del Crary Park on Saturday to watch the Dragon Boat races and cheer on the paddlers, here’s everything else you need to know to enjoy this year’s festival:
As well as the Dragon Boat races, there’s also the Modern Makers Market Vendors Village, where you can browse and choose food items and unique products and services from 27 vendors.
There’s no need to bring your lunch to the festival, as there will be lots of food and beverage vendors at the Vendors Village, including Guilty Pleasures Patisserie (locally made doughnuts and pastries), Reggie’s Hot Grill (fresh cut fries and poutine), Sugar Daddy Sodas (locally made juices), Knots About Pretzels (handmade pretzels), Two Fat Greeks (Greek food on the go), Natas Café (drinks, frappes, grilled snacks), Simply Sandy (healthy baked goods), Peterborough Lions Club (burgers and dogs), and The Night Kitchen (woodfired pizzas).
Peterborough’s The Night Kitchen is one of the many food vendors who will be at the Modern Makers Market Vendors Village. (Photo courtesy of The Night Kitchen)
And for your shopping pleasure, product and services vendors will include Organic Inspirations (bath and cosmetic products), Solid Leather (handmade leather belts), Harmony Healing (custom crystal bracelets), Cutting Edge Greetings (pop-up cards), Grey Willow Creations (jewelry and candles), Pastel Polly (faux tattoos), MTP Vinyl and Glitter (crochet and vinyl products), Strung Out Sisters (string art), Timer and Heart (custom artwork), Skribblz Art (Canadian leisure apparel), Burnin Beads (handmade glass jewelry), Watercolours by Dwayne (artwork), Signs by Sam (home decor/signs), My Weird Friend (adorable weird little friends), Baby Bop Shoppe (baby teething and accessories), Cedar and Co (art/macrame/botanicals/balms), Marie Mae (bath and beauty products), and Kim Berry – doTerra Essentials (essential oils).
Family Fun Zone
The free Family Fun Zone features games and other activities, including face painting, for kids both young and old. (Photo: Linda McIlwain / kawarthaNOW.com)
New this year is the free Family Fun Zone, with games and other activities for the entire family.
Kids both young and old can experience: giant games courtesy of Boardwalk Games; a selfie photo booth and bubble station; a mini dragon boat race, canoe crafts, and paddle carving station courtesy of The Canadian Canoe Museum; face painting by Facesby2; a kids’ obstacle course courtesy of the Kawartha Gymnastics Club; a dress-up station with early settlers’ clothing and photo cut-out frames by Peterborough Museum and Archives; Zumba and country heat courtesy of the Peterborough Sport & Wellness Centre; axe throwing with the Peterborough Axe Club; a scavenger hunt and water safety with the Peterborough Paddle & Kayak Club; bike checkups, info on local bike trails and activities, and secure bike rack parking courtesy of Shifting Gears and the City of Peterborough; and family circuit training with Your Body You.
Other ways to support the festival
Visit the One Stop Dragon Shop and support the festival by purchasing branded team shirts, baseball shirts, pullover hoodies, and more. (Photo: Linda McIlwain / kawarthaNOW.com)
You can also visit the One Stop Dragon Shop, just past the bleachers, and support the festival by purchasing branded team shirts, baseball shirts, pullover hoodies, and more.
If you forget to bring your own reusable water bottle, you can also purchase one at the One Stop Dragon Stop to refill at the mobile drinking water station (no disposable plastic water bottles will be sold at the festival).
You can also drop by the Pink Tribute Trent to leave a tribute to someone you have lost; Survivors Abreast members and Hospice Peterborough volunteers will be there to listen and answer questions.
You can purchase tickets for the 2018 Dragon Boat Festival Cash Raffle at the raffle tent. Tickets are $5 each or $10 for three (cash only). The raffle draw will take place at 4 p.m. (you don’t have to be present to win) and features a $1,000 first prize, a $500 second prize, and a $250 third prize. All proceeds that don’t go towards the prizes support the 2018 festival.
Free Shuttle Buses
Parking is limited at Del Crary Park, so the festival has free shuttle buses running all day to and from the park courtesy of Coach Canada.
One shuttle bus will run from the Evinrude Centre (south side), with a pick up at the Wolfe St. parking lot, and another shuttle bus will run from the Simcoe Street bus terminal, with a stop at the King Street parking lot.
The shuttles will run every 20 minutes, with the first buses leaving the Evinrude Centre and the Simcoe Street bus terminal at 7:30 a.m. The final shuttles leave Del Crary Park at 4:15 p.m.
Paddlers at the 2015 Peterborough’s Dragon Boat Festival toss their flowers after the Carnation Ceremony, an annual tradition to both remember and honour those who have lost their battle with breast cancer. The Carnation Ceremony originates from a 1996 dragon boat race in Vancouver. (Photo: Linda McIlwain / kawarthaNOW.com)
Calendar of events
7:45 a.m. – Team Captains meeting at the Volunteer/Waiver tent
8:15 a.m. – Awakening the Dragon (Opening Ceremony) featuring “The Dragon” and local dignitaries
9:00 a.m. – Morning races begin
10:00 a.m. – Vendor’s Village and Family Fun Zone open (until 3:00 p.m.)
12:00 p.m. – Flower Ceremony featuring the Peterborough Pop Ensemble and TASS Drumming Group
1:00 p.m. – Afternoon races begin
3:30 p.m. – Cup Races begin followed by award presentations
All times are approximate.
Race schedule
Morning Challenge (seeded randomly)
Note: the afternoon race schedule will be determined based on the outcome of morning races.
To see more of the table, swipe left or use the scrollbar at the bottom of the table.
The new Peterborough facility announced by Coca-Cola Canada will begin producing fairlife brand ultra-filtered milk products in 2020. (Photo: Coca-Cola Canada)
Coca-Cola Canada announced today (June 5) it would be investing $85 million to build a new production facility in Peterborough.
The first product to be made at the new facility is fairlife Ultra-Filtered Milk, a lactose-free milk containing more protein and less sugar than traditional milk. The milk, previously only available in the United States, comes in four varieties: reduced fat, chocolate, fat-free, and whole milk.
The fairlife company was formed in 2012 when Select Milk Producers entered into a partnership with The Coca-Cola Company. The brand first appeared in Minnesota, where it launched in February 2014.
The plant will be supplied with milk from local dairy farmers in Ontario.
“We couldn’t be more excited to continue the fairlife journey with our forthcoming expansion into Canada,” says Tim Doelman, chief operating officer of fairlife. “The decision to launch fairlife in Canada was an easy one to make, given the high farming and dairy standards already in place. All of our products start with high quality, great tasting fresh milk, which is what Canadian dairy farms are dedicated to as well.”
The new facility, scheduled to begin operations in the first quarter of 2020, will produce fairlife Ultra-filtered Milk in fat free, 2% white, 2% chocolate and whole (3.25%) white in 1.5L bottles, and 2% white and 2% chocolate in 240 mL bottles.
The new facility will create 35 jobs and support the existing 100 jobs at Peterborough’s Minute Maid plant. There will also be related employment from the development and construction of the facility to the resources and suppliers needed to support daily operations.
“This investment represents a significant vote of confidence in a 70-year strong partnership between Coca-Cola, Minute Maid, and our region’s skilled workers. This investment in our community further solidifies Peterborough-Kawartha as a regional leader in innovation and economic development.”
Peterborough blues/roots veteran Rick Fines will be performing an electric show with his band on June 9, 2018 at the Kawartha Craft Beer Festival in Millennium Park in Peterborough, and a solo acoustic show in Kinmount on July 12, 2018. (Publicity photo)
For all that he has accomplished musically over the past 30 years, it’s most strange to hear blues/roots guitarist and singer Rick Fines admit to needing proof he’s on the right track.
“There are still insecurities that come up and you ask ‘What are these people coming to see me for?'” says the Peterborough native.
“(Recently) I did a couple of concerts and I just felt like the audience was completely there. They listened to the stories and we were bouncing off of each other. I thought ‘I’m doing exactly what I want to do.’ As a musician, you do need validation and you need to balance that with something where it’s got little to do with you and you’re just simply the medium.”
If you too are looking to give Fines some musical validation, you only have a couple of chances to see him in the Kawarthas in the next couple of months.
He’ll be performing an “electric” show with his band as part of the fourth annual Kawartha Craft Beer Festival this weekend (from 3 to 4:30 p.m. on Saturday, June 9th) at Millennium Park in Peterborough. He’s also scheduled to perform a solo acoustic show at Kinmount’s Austin Sawmill Heritage Park at 6 p.m. on Thursday, July 12th.
“What a treat it is for me to be able to play with people I know and have loved for all my life,” says Fines who, for all his travelling across Canada performing and leading music workshops, is always thrilled to perform in his hometown.
“Aside from my sentimental attachment to the city, I can hop on my bicycle and, five minutes later, I’m out in the country. I can experience the four seasons here. There are parts of the country where you don’t get the fall colours like we do here. Swimming in the same lake you’re going to be skating on later. What a treat all of that has been and still is.”
VIDEO: “No Expectations” – Rick Fines
And what a treat Fines has been, and still is, for live music fans, not just locally but coast to coast to coast — initially for 15 years as a member of Juno Award-nominated Jackson Delta with band mates Gary Peeples and Alan Black and, since 2003, as a highly acclaimed solo act with several albums to his credit, the latest being 2015’s electric effort Driving Home.
“To stay alive in this business, you have to re-invent yourself all the time,” assesses Fines.
“I have a pile of notebooks of bits and pieces of ideas for songs. I wake every day eager to get to my guitar and work on some new ideas. Music has never stopped drawing me in, over and over again every single day. That’s what it’s about, that constant growth.”
“I suppose everybody, on some level, would like bits of their past back but at the same time nobody really wants to go back and be a teenager again. The great thing for me is I’ve made a living playing music with my friends and I still get to do that.”
Any recounting of Fines’ career has to include his staunch commitment to music education and empowering others, particularly young people, to push themselves to be all they can be.
Rick Fines is a strong supporter of musical education. Here he is with Jesse James Gon (aka Diga) at the Chief Jimmy Bruneau School in Edzo in the Northwest Territories in April 2018. (Photo: Rick Fines / Facebook)
He recently made his ninth trip to the Northwest Territories, working in a community there with Diga, a longtime friend and Indigenous musician best known for fronting Tlicho and English language band Digawolf.
“That has been very rewarding for me, whether I’m working with an adult guitar class or doing songwriting or arrangement and horn lines with students in a classroom setting,” says Fines.
“I think it’s very important to share the knowledge that we have and our insights. What I like to say, especially to younger students, is the more you express yourself in a way that you can then examine afterwards, that you can critique and that you can reflection, the better you’ll know yourself. That helps you grow and helps you understand yourself and you’re better prepared for the world.
“I play traditional instruments, guitar and other string instruments, but a lot of the music that younger people are hearing is more electronic and may have more to do with the computer than with hands-on playing of traditional instruments. There’s going to be somebody in that room who suddenly it occurs to them ‘Oh, I like that.’ Maybe they come from a household where they’re not being told expressing themselves is important or they’re not hearing that somewhere else, so maybe I can be that person.”
Just back from western Canada where he performed a series of solo shows — an annual trek that includes teaching and performing at the Hornby Island Blues Workshop in British Columbia — Fines says his excitement lies in reuniting with friends he hasn’t seen since his last trip west.
Rick Fines in May 2018 on Salt Spring Island in British Columbia, where he performed a series of concerts. (Photo: Rick Fines / Facebook)
As well as performing at his upcoming shows in the Kawarthas, Fines also enjoys being back home as he can spend more time with his wife Lise and their daughter Claire, who turns six this month.
“She now understands a little better that daddy has to go away to work and I have to pour on the steam and pay my mortgage,” says Fines, noting a trip to Newfoundland is also planned, where he and Lise will celebrate their 20th wedding anniversary.
Still, as has been case for the past three decades, music will never stray far from Fines’ mind.
“I’m writing and rehearsing for a new album … I hope to have it out by Christmas if not then, early next year,” says Fines.
“The thing that got me started on this was I’ve been crazy about playing slide guitar, so I thought ‘You know what? I always record one or two cuts with that instrument on it. Why not make an entire album of that?’ Into the writing I realize that not everything is going to be on those instruments, so it’s going to be more of an acoustic album.
“I make my money travelling solo, duo and trio for the most part. It’s just too expensive to tour a five-piece band. Because that’s what people see, it’s what they want to buy when they buy your product at the end of a concert. I kind of got my ya-yas out with my electric project (Driving Home). Now it’s back to what I’m known for.”
Rick Fines performs at the Hank To Hendrix repair shop in Peterborough during a filming session with Jeremy Kelly of filmkelly.ca. (Photo: Jeremy Kelly)
Whether playing electric or acoustic, or leading a workshop or a classroom session, Fines remains grateful to have been able to make a living doing what he loves.
“The truth is so many people enter into the music business with stars in their eyes and a goal of making it,” he says.
“Truth is the music business, sooner or later, will disappoint everybody and quite often regularly. However, music never disappoints, and if you remember what you’re in it for, then there’s a lifetime to be happy and celebrate that.”
“I certainly don’t have any plans to change careers. I love it but if it ever gets to the point where I’m not, then I’m sure there’s another path. I don’t want to ever find myself feeling embarrassed getting up in front of people and not being what they deserve.”
Michael VanDerHerberg is the recipient of the 2018 Alumni of Distinction Award from Fleming College. (Supplied photo)
Social advocate and Silver Bean Cafe co-owner Michael VanDerHerberg has received the 2018 Alumni of Distinction Award from Fleming College.
Below is a statement from Fleming College on VanDerHerberg’s award.
Fleming College is pleased to announce that Michael VanDerHerberg, a Geomatics Technician graduate from Fleming College Class of 2005, is the recipient of the 2018 Alumni of Distinction Award. This prestigious award is given to an alumnus who attains outstanding career success and professional achievement.
Michael is a compelling advocate for causes in social housing, refugee settlement and community development, in both his professional and personal endeavors. Michael’s work with New Canadian Centre (NCC) began in 2009 and saw a tremendous amount of growth, beginning as an Employment Counsellor, then becoming an Employment Services Coordinator and later becoming a Refugee Resettlement Coordinator.
Michael has faced the refugee crisis first hand having spent a week along Syrian and Iraq borders. It was this experience that led to such a strong motivation to take refugee settlement to new and significantly higher levels.
Michael has helped more than 125 newcomers find and retain work in his city. Resettlement goals over the past year and a half had set out to help 36 Government Assisted Refugee (GAR) families. Michael surpassed that goal, helping 43 families.
To avoid disparity in service between NCC and refugee families, Michael recruited more than 300 volunteers and developed teams of 10-12 people to embrace each family that arrived. His innovative approach drastically improved service and reduced isolation, in turn, reducing crisis. This allowed Arabic-speaking caseworkers to focus on more complex issues such as emergency health issues. Michael’s unique resettlement methods were adopted by refugee centres across Canada.
In a pursuit to support a larger population in need within the community, Michael pursued a career with Peterborough Housing Corporation, a social housing provider. He was named Director of Services based on his achievements and heroism in the Peterborough community.
Along with his wife Andrea, Michael owns and operates Silver Bean Café, a community-style restaurant they established in 2004. It is a popular community hub of buzz, ideas and infectious spirit that patrons call the “waterfront cottage in the city”.
In November 2017, VanDerHerberg was honoured as a Premier’s Awards Community Service nominee for outstanding college graduates. Fleming College presented the 2018 Alumnus of Distinction Award to Michael at the Frost Campus Convocation Ceremony on June 1 at the Lindsay Recreation Complex, Lindsay.
This week’s business news includes the opening of Electric Juice Factory in downtown Peterborough, the Innovation Cluster’s annual general meeting, Bernie Kottelenberg joining Farm Life, City Electric Supply opening a new location in Lindsay, local entrepreneur Heather Watson running for Douro Ward council, and a new farmers’ market opening at Fowlers Corners in June.
New regional business events added this week include Habitat for Humanity’s grand re-opening of Lindsay ReStore on June 2nd, the City of Kawartha Lakes Downtown Dreams contest winners and business showcase on June 6th, the Innovation Cluster’s Hands-ON workshop with Michael Konopaski of Inclusive Advisory on June 6th, Community Futures Peterborough’s Financial Friday on succession planning on June 8th, and the Peterborough Chamber’s Leaders Lunch Series on trade and potential of student ambassadors on June 20th.
We publish businessNOW every week. If you want your business news or even to be featured in businessNOW, please email business@kawarthanow.com.
Port Hope’s Electric Juice Factory expands to downtown Peterborough
Electric Juice Factory’s Peterborough location is now open at 181 Charlotte Street in downtown Peterborough. (Photo: Electric Juice Factory / Facebook)
Healthy juice company Electric Juice Factory has opened a new location at 181 Charlotte Street in downtown Peterborough (beside Tribal Voices).
Based in Port Hope, Electric Juice Factory is the region’s first and only manufacturer of raw, organic, cold-pressed juice.
The company offers bottled cold-pressed juice blends, juice diet plans, “superfood” smoothies, vegan salad bowls, gluten-free and vegan baked goods, and fine espresso.
They also deliver to locations in the Kawarthas and you can find them at the Saturday farmers’ market in Cobourg and the Wednesday farmers’ market in Whitby.
Innovation Cluster Peterborough and The Kawarthas hosts its annual general meeting
The Innovation Cluster held its annual general meeting on May 31, 2018. (Photo courtesy of Innovation Cluster)
Last Thursday (May 31), the Innovation Cluster Peterborough and The Kawarthas held its annual general meeting in downtown Peterborough.
The event offered an opportunity for the public to hear what the local organization has been working on in the past year, including supporting businesses and employment with an economic impact exceeding $10 million.
Speakers included: John Desbiens, Chair of the Board for the Innovation Cluster; Dr. Neil Emery, Vice President of Research and Innovation at Trent University; Michael Skinner, Innovation Cluster President and CEO; Tony Tilly, President of Fleming College; Tim Barrie, Peterborough Region Angel Network; John Fielding, Regional Director ofBusiness Development at Ontario Centres of Excellence; Ribat Chowdhury of Ribitt; and Brian Robinson of Horizon Aircraft.
The speakers highlighted the diversity of projects undertaken by the entrepreneurs at the Innovation Cluster’s business incubator known as The Cube.
Bernie Kottelenberg joins Farm Life Financial Planning Group (Farm Life)
Farm Life senior advisor Bernie Kottelenberg and his wife also operate a dairy, hog, and crop farm in Orangeville. (Photo: Bernie Kottelenberg / LinkedIn)
Farm Life Financial Planning Group (Farm Life) has announced Bernie Kottelenberg as the newest advisor to join the fast-growing Peterborough-based company.
Based at his home farm near Orangeville, Kottelenberg will continue to work with farming clients across southwestern Ontario. With over 20 years’ experience in agriculture banking leadership, team coaching, and finance strategy development, he has extensive experience working with families on their farm business growth strategies.
He also maintains a dairy, hog, and crop farm where he and his wife are already teaching their nine children about the agriculture industry.
“Bernie’s extensive experience in agri-banking across southwestern Ontario provides us with another diverse offering for our clients,” says Darrell Wade, founder of Farm Life. “He is known across the industry for his integrity, commitment to his family and faith and will be a valuable addition to our team.”
Farm Life Financial Planning Group was founded in 2015 with a mission to ensure Canadian farmers can keep farming. It works with families across Ontario to build continuity of the farm through succession, transition, and tax-efficient estate plans. Farm Life currently has representatives across the province with its headquarters in Peterborough.
City Electric Supply opens new location in Lindsay
Canadian electric wholesaler City Electric Supply is opening a new location in Lindsay effective June 4th.
The new 5,000-square-foot branch at 3 Commerce Place, Unit 101 offers energy-efficient LED light fixtures, with remote monitoring and management to further save on energy, reduce emissions, and improve building operations.
A grand opening event will be held on Friday, June 15th, with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at noon along with a Texas-style BBQ from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Formerly Torbram Electric Supply, City Electric Supply was founded in Mississauga in 1991 and now has 65 branches across Canada. It is part of a privately owned electrical wholesale network with 850 branch locations in eight countries around the world.
Local entrepreneur Heather Watson running for Douro Ward council
Heather Watson, founder and CEO of local marketing agency acorn30, is running for Douro Ward Councillor. (Photo: acorn30)
Heather Watson, founder and CEO of local marketing agency acorn30, has announced she is running for Douro Ward Councillor in the Township of Douro-Dummer in the upcoming municipal election.
Watson, who has lived the ward for almost 20 years, was part of the Warsaw Fire Hall Park fundraising group and a board member with both the Kawartha Chamber and Peterborough Agricultural Society. She serves as the Vice Chair of the Douro Library Board and spent time as a Big Sister with Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Peterborough. In 2015, she was recognized by the Peterborough Chamber of Commerce of one of their “4-Under-40”.
Habitat for Humanity host a grand re-opening of Lindsay ReStore on June 2
At 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, June 2nd, Habitat for Humanity and community representatives will be celebrating the grand re-opening of the Habitat ReStore at its new location on 55 Angeline Street in Lindsay.
Ceremonies will include a ribbon cutting featuring City of Kawartha Lakes Mayor Andy Letham and special remarks, with doors opening to shoppers immediately after.
Habitat for Humanity ReStores are home and building supply stores and operated by Habitat for Humanity that accept and resell quality new and used building materials. All proceeds from the stores are used to cover Habitat for Humanity’s administration costs, so that donated funds go directly to building homes in partnership with low income families.
For more information, contact Emily Ferguson at Habitat for Humanity Peterborough & Kawartha Region at 705-750-1456 ext. 226 or emily@habitatpkr.ca.
Northumberland Chambers host Small Business Access Workshop in Colborne on June 4
The four Chambers of Commerce in Northumberland County are hosting a Small Business Access Workshop from 6 to 8:30 p.m. on Monday, June 4th at The Keeler Centre (80 Division St., Colborne).
You can learn about Small Business Access and the programs and resources available to help Ontario small businesses, including the Ontario government’s new Small Business Access portal and hotline, funding for hiring youth and training apprentices, programs and rebates to help reduce your energy consumption and save money, and resources to help you access global markets.
Registration and networking (with light refreshments) takes place at 6 p.m., with a presentation from Business & Entrepreneurship Centre Northumberland at 6:30 p.m. and the Small Business Access Workshop at 7 p.m.
Innovation Cluster Hands-ON workshop with Michael Konopaski of Inclusive Advisory on June 6
The Innovation Cluster Peterborough and The Kawarthas is hosting a workshop entitled “Maintaining Mindfulness as an Entrepreneur” from 1 to 2:30 p.m. on Wednesday, June 6th at the Innovation Cluster (270 George St. N., Peterborough).
Inclusive Advisory’s Michael Konopaski will be discussing how happiness drives an entrepreneur’s success. He will help you explore your belief system, introduce you to the “Ten Mind Stimuli”, give an in-depth review of “Flow Psychology”, and more.
Michael is the Managing Director of Inclusive Advisory and the Chief Financial Officer of Aligned Capital Partners. Inclusive Advisory is a local, third generation, multi–discipline partnership of accountants, lawyers and wealth management professionals. He is a Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA) and has a PhD from one of the top business schools in the world.
City of Kawartha Lakes to announce Downtown Dreams contest winners at business showcase in Lindsay on June 6
The City of Kawartha Lakes is hosting a Downtown Dreams Business Showcase from 5 to 7 p.m. on Wednesday, June 6th at the Academy Theatre (2 Lindsay St. S., Lindsay) where the city will announce the winners of the contest.
Downtown Dreams is a business attraction program partially funded by the City of Kawartha Lakes and the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, in support of the province’s Downtown Revitalization program.
The showcase will highlight businesses from Coboconk, Norland, Fenelon Falls, Omemee, and Lindsay that have participated in training and mentoring to complete a business plan.
These businesses are also competing in the Downtown Dreams contest and will be awarded more than $4,000 in products and services from community sponsors.
The event begins at 5 p.m. with networking and the business showcase in the Academy Theatre lobby, followed by an announcement of the contest winners by Mayor Letham at 5:45 p.m.
The event is free and open to the public. Catered food from participating communities and a cash bar will be available.
Community Futures Peterborough hosts Financial Friday on Succession Planning on June 8
Community Futures Peterborough continues its “Financial Friday” series with a seminar on succession planning with Adam Crowley of Gauvreau & Associates from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. at Community Futures Peterborough (351 Charlotte St., Peterborough).
Succession planning is a critical and often overlooked process. Whether it is determining a succession of future family members, whether it is making the business ready and available for sale to a third party, or whether it is ensuring that a business is appropriately structured for an internal employee to carry on the business, succession planning requires expertise and advanced planning.
You will learn the differences in business structure (corporation versus sole proprietor/partnership), the tax consequences of the different business structure types, types of business sales (share sale or asset sale), the best time to create a succession plan, common succession planning problems, and succession options.
Presenter Adam Crowley is the Manager of Taxation and Advisory Services at Gauvreau & Associates. Crowley, who received his CPA designation in 2016, has worked in public accounting for five years and provides consulting, advisory, and taxation services to our business and personal tax clients.
Financial Fridays are a free monthly initiative by Community Futures Peterborough to further support small businesses and entrepreneurs in the community.
Peterborough Chamber Breakfast Meeting with Michael Konopaski on June 12
Michael Konopaski of Inclusive Advisory speaking at a FastStart E-Connect event in December 2017. (Photo; Inclusive Adivsory / Twitter)
The next Chamber AM, a breakfast meeting hosted by the Peterborough Chamber of Commerce, takes place from 7 to 8:30 a.m. on Tuesday, June 12th at Carousel Restaurant & Tavern (116 Lansdowne St. E., Peterborough) with a presentation from Michael Konopaski, who will speak on the topic “The Truth About Finding Happiness for Entrepreneurs”.
Michael is the Managing Director of Inclusive Advisory and the Chief Financial Officer of Aligned Capital Partners. Inclusive Advisory is a local, third generation, multi–discipline partnership of accountants, lawyers and wealth management professionals. He is a Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA) and has a PhD from one of the top business schools in the world.
His research interests include the connection between happiness and entrepreneurship. Over the years, Michael has studied hundreds of entrepreneurs to find out how they built their business while simultaneously achieving happiness. His presentation will focus on helping you increase your well being while keeping ahead of your competition.
Networking begins at 7 a.m. with breakfast at 7:30 a.m. (where you can make your best 30-second elevator speech to the room) followed by the guest speaker at 8 a.m.
Kawartha Chamber of Commerce & Tourism hosts Business After Hours: Woodview Hop on June 13
Viamede Resort on Stoney Lake. (Photo: Viamede Resort)
The Kawartha Chamber of Commerce & Tourism is hosting its next Business After Hours event from 5 to 7 p.m. on Wednesday, June 13th in Woodview.
The “Woodview Hop” begins at 5 p.m. at Viamede Resort on Stoney Lake (595 Mount Julian – Viamede Rd.) and then travels to Woodview on the Lake (6242 Highway 28) at 5:45 p.m. for networking and refreshments from 6 to 7 p.m., including beef tenderloin on a bun, fruit and cheese, cupcakes, and wine and beer.
Business owners from the Woodview area will also be in attendance to speak about their businesses.
Artspace hosts its Annual General Meeting on June 13
Artspace, Peterborough’s non-profit artist-run centre that assists artists with the presentation of new work, is hosting its annual general meeting at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, June 13th in the main gallery at Artspace (378 Aylmer St. N., Peterborough).
Artspace will review the previous year’s operations and the organization’s audited financial statements, and will seek nominations for new members for the board of directors.
All members of the community are invited to attend, but only members in good standing with the centre are eligible to participate in voting.
The meeting will be held in a physically accessible space, and a cash bar and light refreshments will be provided.
Cornerstone Family Violence Prevention Centre Annual General Meeting in Cobourg on June 19
Cornerstone Family Violence Prevention Centre is holding its annual general meeting at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, June 19th in the Rotary Room at the Cobourg Public Library (200 Ontario St., Cobourg).
David Quesada, Community Outreach Officer with Horizons of Friendship, will be giving a special presentation on that organization’s partnership with Cornerstone, and will outline the itinerary for the upcoming gender-based violence knowledge exchange in Guatemala in which Cornerstone will be participating.
Cornerstone provides immediate shelter, counselling, and prevention services throughout Northumberland County.
Peterborough Chamber hosts Leaders Lunch Series on trade and potential of student ambassadors on June 20
The Peterborough Chamber of Commerce is hosting its latest Leaders Lunch Series, “Harnessing Trade Opportunities and the Potential of Student Ambassadors”, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Wednesday, June 20th at Fleming College’s Kawartha Trades and Technology Centre (599 Brealey Dr., Peterborough).
Dignitaries from Brazil, China, and India will discuss trade opportunities and harnessing the potential of student ambassadors.
Keynote speakers are Sarah Kutulakos (Executive Director of Canada China Business Council), Mr. Anil Shah (National Convenor of Canada India Foundation), Mr. Ademar Seabra da Cruz Junior (Deputy Consul of Brazil to Toronto), and Ms. Paola Saad (Vice-President of the Brazil-Canada Chamber of Commerce).
Other speakers will include Douglas Kennedy from the Centre of Global Enterprise (Toronto) and more.
Peterborough Downtown Business Improvement Area Annual General Meeting on June 27
The Peterborough Downtown Business Improvement Area (DBIA) is hosting its annual general meeting on Wednesday, June 27th in the Nexicom Studio at Showplace Performance Centre (290 George St. N., Peterborough).
Networking starts at 5:30 p.m. with business at 6 p.m. The meeting will include updates on what’s happening in downtown Peterborough, as well as a general election of the board.
Everyone is welcome to attend, although only DBIA members can vote.
For more information on joining the board, contact Joel Wiebe at the DBIA at 705-748-4774 or joelwiebe@peterboroughbia.com.
Kawarthas Northumberland annual tourism partner meeting on June 20
Todd Lucier, co-founder of Northern Edge Algonquin Retreat Centre, a retreat designer and IGNITE facilitator will be the guest speaker at the Kawarthas Northumberland annual tourism partner meeting. (Photo: Northern Edge Algonquin Retreat Centre)
RTO8’s Kawarthas Northumberland is inviting tourism operators from within the Kawarthas Northumberland region (City of Kawartha Lakes, City and County of Peterborough, and Northumberland County) to its annual partners meeting (annual general meeting) from 1:30 to 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday, June 20th at Iron Horse Ranch (804 Ontario 7A RR1, Bethany).
The meeting will provide tourism operators with the opportunity to meet Kawarthas Northumberland board members and staff, along with representatives and advisors from the Ontario Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sport, and to network with other tourism operators.
The guest speaker at the session will be Todd Lucier, co-founder of Northern Edge Algonquin Retreat Centre, a retreat designer and IGNITE facilitator. Lucier will speak on how tourism operators can leverage their own resources to build new and exciting visitor experiences, with an appreciation for the importance of community collaboration.
The event is free, but advance registration is required by 5 p.m. on Friday, June 8th. Register at Eventbrite.
At the 2018 Peterborough Folk Festival, The Spades (James McKenty, Tommy Street, and Josh Robichaud) are performing in front of a live audience for the first time in five years.
The Peterborough Folk Festival has announced three of the musical acts performing at the 2018 Peterborough Folk Festival.
The free 29th annual festival takes place from Thursday, August 16th to Sunday, August 19th at Nichols Oval in Peterborough.
VIDEO: “See You When The Weather Breaks” – The Spades
The Spades — James McKenty (vocals and guitar), Tommy Street (drums and vocals), and Josh Robichaud (bass and vocals) — will be reuniting to perform in front of a live audience for the first time since the band disbanded in 2013.
One of Peterborough’s most popular indie rock bands of the early 2000s, The Spades will be performing on Saturday, August 18th along with headliners Bedouin Soundclash.
Toronto-based reggae-ska-punk band Bedouin Soundclash — featuring founding members Jay Malinowsk (lead vocals) and Eon Sinclair (bass) — first formed in 2001 and has since released four albums.
Bedouin Soundclash
In 2004, the band released their second album Sounding a Mosaic, with the single “When the Night Feels My Song” becoming the band’s breakthrough single on Canadian radio.
In 2006, the band won a Juno award for Breakthrough Group of the Year and “12:59 Lullaby”, a tune from from their 2007 album Street Gospels, was featured in an episode of the U.S. television series Grey’s Anatomy. In 2017, the band released “Clock Work”, its first new single in almost seven years.
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Juno-nominated singer-songwriter Basia Bulat will headline and close out the 2018 Peterborough Folk Festival with a performance on Sunday, August 19th.
Bulat — who plays guitar, autoharp, charango, and piano — has released four albums since 2007. Her most recent record Good Advice was shortlisted for the Polaris Music Prize.
She has shared a stage with artists including Arcade Fire, The National, Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, Daniel Lanois, St Vincent, Sufjan Stevens, Destroyer, and Andrew Bird.
Basia Bulat. (Photo: CBC Music)
Organizers of the Peterborough Folk Festival will be announcing more performers soon, including the ticketed kick-off concert on Thursday, August 16th.
The festival is also accepting nominations for the 2018 Emerging Artist Award, whose past recipients include Serena Ryder, James McKenty of The Spades, Beau Dixon, Melissa Payne, Mary-Kate Edwards, and more.
For more information about this year’s festival and to apply for the Emerging Artist Award, visit www.peterboroughfolkfest.com.
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