On Thursday (May 24), the RBC Foundation presented Kawartha Conservation with a cheque for $20,000 to fund improvements at the Omemee beach.

Along with a grant from the Ontario Ministry of Environment and Climate Change, the grant from the RBC Foundation’s Blue Water Project will support a $30,000 “BlueScaping” lake management plan for the beach.

BlueScaping is a program that helps landowners manage storm water while enhancing the qualities of the watershed. Working closely with City parks staff, Kawartha Conservation’s BlueScaping project will create a rain garden at the Omemee beach, naturalize the shoreline, remove more than 500 square feet of invasive plants, add more than 250 native plants, and install interpretive signage.

“This will be an exciting project for the Omemee community,” explains Kawartha Conservation Stewardship Coordinator Holly Shipclark. “We will be working with the City’s parks and recreation staff, local community groups, and residents to improve this well-used and enjoyed beach area, which will have a positive impact for years to come.”

The grants will also support three public workshops and a rainwater harvesting demonstration at Omemee beach.

“Our beaches are popular destinations for residents and visitors during the summer months and shoulder seasons,” says Jenn Johnson, City of Kawartha Lakes Parks, Recreation and Culture Division Manager. “Managing invasive plants and improving water quality by reducing urban run-off will benefit residents and beach users in Omemee.”

The first workshop, “Storm Water Harvesting”, took place on May 17th, with the second workshop, “Using Native Plants and Managing Invasives”, scheduled for June 7th and the third workshop, “Rain Gardens”, for August 8th

“Omemee has a really active and engaged community,” Shipclark says. “We’re really looking forward to working with the residents there to help restore and protect the Omemee beach, as well as their own properties.”

Work at the Omemee beach will get underway in June.

“This is the seventh year in a row that we have benefitted from RBC Foundation support for lake plan implementation projects,” Shipclark says. “RBC’s support has been and continues to be invaluable in helping to improve lake health and the environment throughout Kawartha Lakes.”

Last summer, the Peterborough Airport hosted a once-in-a-lifetime experience by offering ground tours (or even a flight) of a World War II B-17 heavy bomber.

If you missed it, this summer you’ll get another chance to tour (or fly in) a World War II era bomber — and this year there will be two bombers to choose from.

“Air Legends at the Peterborough Airport” takes place from Monday, July 23rd through Sunday, August 5th, when you can experience the B-25 Bomber known as “Maid in the Shade” (from July 23 to 30) and the B-29 Superfortress Bomber called “Fifi” (from July 30 to August 5).

The “Maid in the Shade” is part of the Arizona Commemorative Air Force Museum’s “Flying Legends of Victory Tour” and “Fifi” is part of the Texas Commemorative Air Force’s “Airpower History Tour”.

You’ll have the opportunity to learn more about the aircraft through displays and questions and answers from experts, take a ground tour of the aircraft, or even book a flight on either bomber for an additional fee.

Ground tours of “Maid in the Shade” will cost $10 per person (or $20 for a family of four). Flights on cost $325 US (or $650 US if you want to fly in a bombardier or navigator seat in the plane’s nose). You can book your flight online at www.azcaf.org/location/peterborough-tour-stop/.

Ground tours of “Fifi” are $12 for adults or $6 for children, with children under 10 free. Flights are more expensive, ranging from $570 US to $1,595 US for the bombardier seat. You can book your flight online at www.airpowersquadron.org/book.

“Air Legends at the Peterborough Airport” culminates with a special weekend of events on Saturday, August 4th and Sunday, August 5th.

Plans for the weekend include a display of military, vintage, and civil aircraft — including a Curtis P4 Kittyhawk, L29 Delfin Military Trainer Jet, Spitfire, Hurricane, Lancaster, Antonov AN2, Harvard II Trainer, CC-130 Hercules, and SKT Helicopter — and the Canadian Owners and Pilots Association will fly in to be part of the array of aircraft on display.

The weekend will also feature a car and motorcycle display, live emergency training exercises conducted by The Loomex Group using their mobile 44-foot jet simulator, and food and beverages at Gibson’s Finest Pilot Lounge.

Finally, at 7 a.m. on Sunday, August 5th, the Peterborough Airport is hosting “Run on the Runway”, a fundraiser for the Brock Mission where you can participate in a 10k, 5k, and 1k run/walk on the 7,000-foot runway at the airport.

The Peterborough Airport is also supporting the Brock Mission by waiving admission fees to the airport grounds during “Air Legends at the Peterborough Airport”. Instead, donations will be accepted for Brock Mission, which is currently being redeveloped.

The airport notes that event attractions and schedules are tentative and subject to change. For updates, visit www.peterboroughairport.com.

The Peterborough Regional Farmers’ Network (PRFN) is bringing country goodness to the urban landscape, announcing Tuesday (May 22) that it will locate a new farmers’ market in the Citi-Centre Courtyard off Aylmer Street.

Less than two weeks after announcing their plan to open and oversee a farmers’ market, PRFN members gathered at the downtown Peterborough location, confirming the market will open Saturday, June 9th and continue each Saturday, 7 a.m. to 1 p.m., into the fall.

“We’re building community downtown and we’re ready to welcome you,” said PRFN board president Neil Hannam.

“It’s a super exciting day. Last Friday (May 18) at 9 o’clock I got an email from (DBIA executive director) Terry Guiel saying ‘How about a downtown location?’ Six minutes later, I responded. By 3 o’clock, Terry had introduced me to (AON president and CEO) Brad Smith. We met over the weekend and agreed this is the absolutely perfect site.”

“We need a hard surface. You can only bring a half-ton with a trailer onto a hard surface. We need water. We need power. We need a great person (Smith) to work with. It’s a natural fit.”

A farmer-led not-for-profit group, the network grew out of the Saturday Peterborough Farmers’ Market’s refusal to approve applications submitted by seven returning vendors. At the root of the dispute were board-expressed concerns over the source of food sold at the market and how that was represented to the public.

In a statement on its website at www.ptbofarms.com, PRFN alleges the Saturday market board “is not following its own rules” and further “created the framework to unjustifiably kick out seven local vendors.”

“We didn’t have any intention of starting another market until we were forced into making that decision,” says Hannam, noting the board received “multiple” offers of space for the new market.

“We never had a doubt there was widespread support (for us) because the default is when you go to a local farmers’ market, you expect to be able to buy local food from farmers. That’s the premise.”

Hannam explains PRFN is employing a two-stage third party verification process to ensure all food sold at the market is indeed local.

“Every farmer has to fill out a Farmers Market Ontario ‘My Pick’ (form) — What are you growing? How much? What does it look like? How much power do you use? How many seeds have you put into the ground? It’s very detailed. Other verifications are certified organic – there’s a whole process about what it is you’re growing. And there’s the Canadian Food Inspection Agency which deals with quotas. Third-party verification … that’s the kind of verification we’re talking about.”

“In addition, we’re going to have a citizens’ committee. People like myself and other farmers are going to show up at your farm and say ‘Hey, how it’s going? What’s in your greenhouse?’ When you arrive June 9th, you don’t have to think ‘Is any of this not local?'”

Saying the number of vendors is “a work in progress,” Hannam added “My phone was ringing all day today. There are a number of vendors looking for a home. There’s a number of small local farms that never had access to the existing market, so this is their opportunity to come and shine.”

With the new market set to open, there are now three in the city — the new market, the aforementioned Saturday morning market, and the Wednesday Downtown Peterborough Farmers’ Market held on Charlotte Street. If Hannam is concerned that three markets is too many for the community to support, he’s not showing it.

“That’s going to be up to the consumers to decide. People are looking for a place to go and support local farms. They’re looking for authentic third-party verification (of locally produced food).”

Hannam invites anyone interested in being a vendor to apply at www.ptboregionalfarmersmarket.org.

Along with Hannam, the other members of the PRFN board are Peter Hughes, Josh Blank, and Melissa Johnston.

For his part, Guiel is thrilled that AON has stepped up to give the new market a downtown home.

“This is a really creative space … it’s a hidden gem in the downtown,” said Guiel.

“Having a farmers’ market in the downtown is essential for the cultural spirit of the downtown. It’s where they belong. It just makes a whole lot of sense.

“This is just another addition that separates the downtown from other areas of the city. It just makes us even more outside the ordinary.”

Last year, Peterborough native Michelle McLeod landed the lead role in Don’t Talk To Irene, a feel-good movie that had its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) last September.

Since then, the film — written and directed by Pat Mills (Guidance) and also starring Bruce Gray (Big Fat Greek Wedding), Geena Davis (Beetle Juice), Scott Thompson (Kids In the Hall), and Anastasia Phillips (Bomb Girls) — has been released nationwide in the United States and has gone on to critical acclaim, largely based on Michelle’s debut performance.

Variety wrote “McLeod’s turn as the bizarre yet indefatigable Irene helps sell the film’s misfit-makes-good sentimentality”, The Toronto Star wrote she “creates a wonderfully plucky and empathetic character in Irene”.

NOW Magazine wrote she “has terrific presence and exactly the right kind of theatre-kid confidence for this role.” The LA Times’ review of the film concludes “this cute movie hits all the heartwarming notes.”

VIDEO: “Don’t Talk To Irene” Trailer

Most recently the film has been nominated for four Canadian Comedy Awards: Best Feature, Best Writing in a Feature (Pat Mills), Best Direction in a Feature (Pat Mills), and Best Performance in a Feature (Michelle McLeod).

The awards will be announced on June 3, 2018 — exactly one day after Don’t Talk To Irene screens for the first time at Galaxy Cinemas Peterborough (320 Water St., Peterborough).

“This funny and widely praised film has never been released in Michelle’s home town,” writes Greg McLeod, Michelle’s father, in an email to kawarthaNOW.com.

There will only be a single screening of the film, at 7 p.m. on Saturday, June 2nd.

Her father Greg says that both Michelle and the film’s writer and director Pat Mills will be attending the screening and will participate in a question-and-answer session following the film.

Tickets are available online at www.cineplex.com/Movie/dont-talk-to-irene-2018 and at the kiosks in the Galaxy Cinemas Peterborough lobby.

VIDEO: Pat Mills and Michelle McLeod on “Don’t Talk To Irene”

Michelle, who currently lives in Toronto, began her acting career in Peterborough when she was eight years old, participating in her first St. James Players community play. She went on to take various roles in several St. James Players musicals and Peterborough Theatre Guild productions, where she won theatre awards from both groups.

In Don’t Talk To Irene, she plays Irene Willis, an overeight teenage girl who lives in the fictional small town of Parc north of Toronto (the film was shot in Hamilton). Irene’s passion is to become a cheerleader, despite being called “the fattest girl in high school” by bullies and being discouraged from her dream by her overprotective mother.

After getting suspended from school, Irene is forced to do two weeks of community service at a retirement home — where she decides to organize her new circle of elderly friends into an unlikely dance troup and sign them up for a talent-search reality show.

According to her father, Michelle hasn’t rested on her laurels. She just completed a three-week shoot for her second feature film, and is currently acting in a segment for the second seasion of the British-Canadian drama series Tin Star starring Tim Roth, which is broadcast in Sky Atlantic in the U.K. and on Amazon Prime in the U.S.

Whether her patients were nine or 90, Dr. Judith Buys always believed they should have a bright, healthy smile that could last a lifetime.

That was a principle the Peterborough dentist lived by until her untimely death in August 2016, as a result of serious injuries suffered after a tragic accident at a cottage in Burnt River.

Cornerstone Family Dentistry, the dental practice Dr. Buys founded in 1986 at 681 Reid Street, would forever be changed.

Holding true to what Dr. Buys would want, the team persevered and turned loss into inspiration. They carried on offering patients comprehensive dental care with personalized service — the most fitting way, they say, to honour her legacy.

A large print with a photo of Dr. Buys was hung in the reception area, inscribed with a poem by philosopher and poet Ralph Waldo Emerson, and a gratitude wall was added to the office kitchen for team members to practice mindfulness exercises by reflecting on moments of daily gratitude.

Cornerstone’s office manager Amanda Crowley, who has worked at the dental office for 24 years, says even though the team is still going through the motions of healing, their primary goal through transition after Dr. Buys’ passing is to ensure their patients’ dental needs are addressed seamlessly and with the same quality of care they have been accustomed to receiving.

“We go above and beyond for our patients,” Crowley says. “We always have. Now is no exception.

“With the initial new patient exams, which are quite thorough, we ask a lot of questions so we can gather information to know what the patient’s dental goals are. We listen to them and establish that first connection, but, most importantly, we make them feel heard and their concerns validated.

“We try to make our patients feel like they are welcomed and at home. So many of them have been with us for many years, some we’ve seen grow from children to adults. I think the biggest compliment that we can receive is when our patients say to us that we make them feel like they are family.

“This is a real testament to Judith, really. She created and instilled that value in all of us here at Cornerstone and we still uphold those strong standards and excellence so that through us her legacy will go on.”

Since laying its foundation in Peterborough 32 years ago, Cornerstone Family Dentistry has established itself as a highly regarded dental practice, with a deserved reputation for its focus on children and cosmetic dental treatments.

In addition to family dentistry, emergency, hygiene appointments, and new patient treatments, Cornerstone provides a wide range of other services. These include dental implants, Invisalign (invisible braces), porcelain metal-free crowns, tooth whitening, veneers, tooth extractions, sleep apnea appliances, sedation dentistry, dentures, facial aesthetics, and smile makeovers.

Patients are often referred to Cornerstone by other practitioners for their specialized care in children’s dentistry. They are the only office in the Peterborough area to have a paediatric dentist who is available to work with infants, children, and adolescents.

They provide several treatment options for sedation dentistry such as nitrous oxide and oral sedation for those nervous young patients who find it difficult sitting through a dental procedure.

Crowley says patients benefit from the most skilled personnel, who are equipped with the latest in modern dental technology, training and an understanding that not everyone is keen on a visit to the dentist.

“Our comprehensive expertise means we can offer great care, quick turnaround times, good appointment availability and a same day emergency service for our patients to make the experience as stress-free as possible.”

The team is led by Dr. Anna Jo, who took ownership of the clinic in January 2017. She is joined regularly by highly esteemed dentists, including: associate Dr. Tsveta Klimentova, who is at the practice three days a week; pedodontist Dr. Albert Kang, who specializes in children’s dentistry and dental healthcare; and Dr. Jay Chun (Dr. Jo’s husband).

The Cornerstone support team consists of an office manager, four hygienists, three dental assistants, and two administrative assistants.

When she took ownership, Dr. Jo says she knew she had big shoes to fill. She notes she didn’t have the privilege of knowing Dr. Buys, but quickly learned that she was an influential figure in Peterborough — known for her excellence in dentistry, business acumen, and community service.

Dr. Jo says from the get-go she was a “pretty good fit” with Dr. Jim McGorman (Dr. Buys’ husband), and the team noticed similar qualities and work ethic between the two women.

Much like Dr. Buys, Dr. Jo enjoys all aspects of dentistry, especially aesthetic dentistry, oral surgery, and children’s dentistry. She is certified in oral sedation for anxious adults and children, and performs all patient tooth extractions herself.

“I feel the best way to honour Judith and her life’s work is to continue to strive for excellence, and to continue to give dedicated care to our patients in a friendly and welcoming environment,” says Dr. Jo.

“The patients and the team have been with the practice for many years and I look forward to building on those relationships for years to come. Dr. Buys really created a solid team who is hard-working and cohesive, with good ethics and values.

“That is something I noticed when I started working here — that this is a dream team. They inspire me every day with their passion to work and their love for this clinic and for our patients.”

Last year, Cornerstone Family Dentistry — along with other local dentists and Dr. McGorman — formed a partnership with the local YWCA called Beyond First Impressions, to help women of domestic violence receive dental care to repair damaged teeth at no cost.

The project was created as a tribute to Dr. Buys and her service to the community as a past supporter of women and children through the YWCA.

Cornerstone also continues to support the YWCA’s Empty Bowls program, which aims to raise awareness and money for the food and nutrition programs offered by the YWCA within the local community.

“Grief does change you as a person,” Crowley adds, “so there has been a lot of leaning on each other and getting way more involved within the community and giving back. There’s a lot of healing in that.”

Cornerstone Family Dentistry is currently accepting new patients. If you have questions about your dental health or would like to schedule an appointment, please contact 705-749-0133 or info@cornerstonefd.ca or visit www.cornerstonefamilydentistry.ca.