Discover the origins and traditions of Halloween at the family-friendly Historic All Hallows Eve at Lang Pioneer Village Museum in Keene on Friday, October 26 and Saturday, October 27, 2018. (Photo: Dawn Knudsen)
Get Your TIckets For The 19th Annual Awards of Excellence & Social Gala
The 19th Annual Awards of Excellence and Social Gala is just two weeks away! Join the Chamber on Thursday, November 8th at Lakefield College School.
Tickets are only $40 this year, so bring along your staff to celebrate local businesses! Your ticket includes one complimentary beverage and light hors d’oeuvres.
There are only a limited number of tickets available. Tickets can be purchased at kawarthachamber.ca or by calling 705-652-6963.
There will be silent and live auctions, a cash bar and music from Rhythm & Grace. Please note: if you plan to purchase additional drinks from the cash bar, there is not an ATM on site. Auction items can be purchased with a credit card. Dress is business attire.
The Chamber thanks its Social Gala Sponsor, Shorelines Casino Peterborough.
Sponsor Spotlight: ISL Insurance Brokers
The Chamber is excited to announce that it has added a Special Recognition award to the Awards of Excellence roster, as it was requested by the judging panel due to the high number of nominations and challenging decisions they faced this year.
The Chamber thanks ISL Insurance Brokers for sponsoring the award.
“ISL Insurance Brokers is a full service general insurance brokerage that provides auto, home, business, farm and cottage insurance coverage. Our team of insurance professionals deal with a wide array of insurance providers to secure the best possible protection for our clients at the best price. The slogan ‘Serving People Is What We Do Best’ demonstrates our commitment to clients, staff and community and we’re proud to serve the people of Peterborough, Lakefield and the Kawarthas. Visit islinsurance.ca.”
Sneak Peek At Live Auction Items For Chamber Awards Of Excellence & Social Gala
The Chamber has five amazing packages up for grabs for its live auction at the Awards of Excellence and Social Gala this year! See them all here.
If you are unable to attend the Gala, but would like to submit a bid for one of these packages, please email generalmanager@kawarthachamber.ca with your maximum bid, and include “Auction Bid” in the subject line. Please include a name and phone number. A proxy bidder will be assigned to bid on your behalf in increments no higher than your maximum bid.
Pizza Making Package
If you’re a big fan of pizza, you’ll love this Pizza Making Package. The package includes:
Making your own pizza at Electric City Bread Company for four (with wine!); and,
A copy of the book Elements of Pizza from Happenstance Books & Yarns.
The Chamber thanks donors Electric City Bread Company and Happenstance Books & Yarns.
The Chamber Took Part In The Habitat For Humanity’s Curve Lake Build
Left to right: Sherry Boyce-Found, Kawartha Chamber; Michele Kennedy, Kenwood Drafting & Design; Penny Wilson, The Cozy Home; Tonya Kraan, Strexer Harrop & Associates; Tiffany Alton-Froggatt, Peterborough Appliances; Cindy Windover, Windover Plumbing; Kim Whynot, CIBC Bridgenorth; Stacey Sullivan, Kawartha Chamber; Lynn Woodcroft, Royal LePage Frank Real Estate; Jenis Kempt & Kim Armstrong, Whelan’s Flooring Centre; Sam Carmichael, Kawartha Chamber
The Chamber took part in the Habitat for Humanity build in Curve Lake First Nation on Monday, October 22nd. Take a look at our Women’s Build Team in action.
The Chamber thanks everyone who took part in the build day, and would also like to thank all of the individuals and businesses who supported the fundraising efforts.
10 Ways To Build A Canada That Wins: 2019 Election Edition Survey
A strong and prosperous Canada depends on business growth.
For the past seven years, the Canadian Chamber of Commerce has published its 10 Ways to Build a Canada that Wins, which articulates a series of clear priorities and objectives that, if addressed, will give Canada a competitive edge, improve productivity and grow the economy.
By providing your input, you will be shaping the Canadian Chamber of Commerce’s 2018 message to the federal government and other stakeholders, and telling chambers of commerce at the national, provincial, territorial and local levels about the priorities that are important to you, both as a Canadian and a business person.
The deadline to complete the survey is November 13th.
Community Care Flu Shot Clinic On October 24th
Community Care is hosting a Flu Shot Clinic on Wednesday, October 24th from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at 40 Rabbit Street in Lakefield.
“First come, first shot.” Bring your health card.
Call 705-652-8655 for more information.
New Venture Session on October 25th
Peterborough & the Kawarthas Economic Development’s Business Advisory Centre is hosting their free New Venture Session on Thursday, October 25th from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at VentureNorth (270 George Street N., Peterborough).
The session will provide an overview of:
The foundations of starting and running a business;
The resources and programs available for entrepreneurs in Peterborough & the Kawarthas;
How to access support from the Business Advisory Centre; and,
Historic All Hallows Eve at Lang Pioneer Village on October 26th and 27th
Join Lang Pioneer Village Museum for their Historic All Hallows Eve this Friday and Saturday (October 26th and 27th) from 6 to 9 p.m. each night to discover the origins and traditions of Halloween.
The event features:
“Floss & Tann’s Cabinet of Curiosity for the Incurable Curious!” Show
Presentation by the Paranormal Seekers (Friday only)
Treat bags for kids, tractor & wagon rides, fortune telling, face painting & colouring contests
Dance Away MS at Buckhorn Community Centre on October 27th
Dance Away MS this Saturday, October 27th at Buckhorn Community Centre from 8 to 11:45 p.m..
There will be live music by the “Indian River Band”, Silent & Country Auction, a late lunch, cash bar & dancing!
Doors open at 7 p.m.and the dance starts at 8 p.m.
This is an Age of Majority event, costumes are optional, and tickets are $20.
To buy tickets for the event, contact the BCC at 705-657-8833, or reach out to the MS Society at 705-748-4221 or pat.stockdale@bell.net.
All proceeds in support of MS Peterborough, Kawartha Lakes & Haliburton Chapter.
Opioid Epidemic: Second Information Session Announced
Due to overwhelming interest in the Opioid Information Session held on September 26th (over 500 people attended), Selwyn Outreach Centre has decided to host a second event discussing the issue.
The second session will be held on Wednesday, November 7th at 7 p.m. at Selwyn Outreach Centre.
Join them to hear three more perspectives on the topic. Speakers include: Tim Farquharson, Deputy Police Chief; Magdy Kamar and Dr. Samier Kamar, pharmacists; and Daryl Ralph, Clinical Counsellor for drug addiction.
The event is free, and may help save the life of someone you care about.
Selwyn Outreach Centre is also planning on hosting a special First Aid Class on how to deal with an overdose and the administration of Narcan. Stay tuned.
Upcoming Events
McLean’s Buckhorn Pumpkin Fest – Every Saturday & Sunday until October 28th
Try Curling at Ennismore Curling Club – October 27th
Tek Savvy Seniors – October 31st
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.
Susan Kingfisher models wearable art by Kerri Niemi at last year's Runway Challenge. Max's Cabaret presents the 2018 Runway Challenge and Wearable Art Musical Revue, a fundraiser for Public Energy, at The Mount Community Centre in Peterborough on Saturday, October 27th. (Photo: Wayne Eardley)
On Saturday, October 27th, many of Peterborough’s finest musical, visual, and performing artists are coming together for a fundraiser for Public Energy.
Max’s Cabaret presents The Runway Challenge & Wearable Art Musical Revue
When: Saturday, October 27, 2018 at 8 p.m. Where: The Mount Community Centre (1545 Monaghan Rd., Peterborough) How much: $20 in advance, $25 at the door
A fundraiser for Public Energy. Advance tickets are available by calling 705-745-1788 or online at Eventbrite.
Presented by Max’s Cabaret, the Runway Challenge and Wearable Art Musical Revue takes place on Sunday, October 27th at The Mount Community Centre in Peterborough.
Max’s Cabaret is the brainchild of local dancer and raconteur Max Price who, every year, creates a showcase of the Peterborough’s most entertaining musical and performing artists benefit a local cause. For the second year in a row, the cause will be Public Energy, a charitable organization that produces the adventurous performing arts season in Peterborough.
Like last year, Max has invited artists to contribute original works of wearable art to be paraded down the runway, in the tradition of Public Energy’s Wearable Art Shows that have happened annually since 2011.
At the 2011 Wearable Art Show, artist (and kawarthaNOW art columnist) Shannon Taylor created this piece modelled by Public Energy Administrator and Marketing Director (and kawarthaNOW food columnist) Eva Fisher. (Photo: Public Energy)
The highlight of every Wearable Art Show is the Runway Challenge, which this year introduces a new format: the 48-Hour Runway Challenge.
Just 48 hours before the event, four artists — Dreda Blow, Bruno Merz, Mel McCall, and Bradly Boyle — will be presented with a pile of objects, materials, and used goods from which they must create an original work of wearable art.
Joining the Runway Challengers are six artists who have created their own wearable art fashions especially for Max’s Cabaret: Dawna Greenham, Berlynn Ellis, Kathryn Bahun, Hartley Stephenson, Marilyn O’Connor, and Max Price himself.
Pictured here at the 2017 Max’s Cabaret, emcee Laurel Paluck, along with singer Cheyenee Buck and dancer Sarah Rudnicki, will return to be part of the 2018 event, as well as other musical, dance, and spoken word artists. (Photos: Public Energy)
The event will again be hosted by emcee Laurel Paluck, and a range of musical, dance, and spoken word artists will provide non-stop entertainment.
These include: dancers Nicole Malbeuf, Sarah Rudnicki, Lindsay Haacke, Heather Kenny, and Corrine Maynard; spoken word artist Katherine Heigh; live music with Chester Babcock, Justin Hiscox, Judy Jordan, Matt Allen, and Rutherford & Rose; singers Carolyn Kay and Cheyenne Buck; and burlesque performer Naomi Duvall.
Bridgenorth filmmaker Adriano Ferreri's daughter Rosa in her first lead role as Niamh in Adriano's debut feature film "E.M.P. 333 Days", a thriller about what happens after an electromagnetic pulse sends North America into anarchy. Almost three years in the making, the film screens at the Market Hall in Peterborough on October 25, 2018 before heading down to a couple of film festivals in the U.S. (Photo: Ferreri Films)
If you missed the premiere in June, you have another chance to catch Adriano Ferreri’s debut feature film E.M.P. 333 Days when it screens at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, October 25th at the Market Hall Performing Arts Centre in downtown Peterborough.
Adriano will then be taking his film to the United States, where it will screen at the 12th annual Rockport Film Festival (in Rockport, on the east coast of Texas near San Antonio) on Saturday, November 3rd and then at the SNOB (Somewhat North of Boston) Film Festival in Concord, New Hampshire, on Saturday, November 10th.
A barber by day in Bridgenorth, Adriano spent three years making the film, which was shot entirely in the Kawarthas and features local actors.
The lead role of Niamh is played by Adriano’s teenaged daughter Rosa Ferreri, in her first feature film role. Other local actors appearing in the film include Liam Davidson (best known for his work at 4th Line Theatre in Millbrook) as William, Martin Saunders as John, Derek Bell as Craig, Cheryl Jan Ellis as Grandma, and Dan Smith as Zain.
E.M.P. 333 Days is an 83-minute thriller about what happens to introverted 11-year-old Niamh (Rosa Ferreri) after an electromagnetic pulse (E.M.P.) weapon fries all electrical devices, returning North America to pre-industrial conditions and sending it into anarchy. Niamh must fend and fight for herself while trying to find her father John (Martin Saunders).
Tickets for the Market Hall screening are $13 general admission, and are available in person at the box office at 140 Charlotte Street, by phone at 705-749-1146, or online at markethall.org.
“E.M.P. 333 Days” producer and director Adriano Ferreri at the premiere of “E.M.P. 333 Days” at Galaxy Cinemas in Peterborough on June 28, 2018. The film will screen in November at the Rockport Film Festival in Texas and the SNOB Film Festival in New Hampshire. (Photo: Ferreri Films / Facebook)
32-year-old Diane Therrien is the new Mayor-elect of Peterborough. (Photo: Diane Therrien / Facebook)
Diane Therrien has been elected as Mayor of Peterborough, defeating incumbent Daryl Bennett who was seeking his third term.
The 32-year-old Therrien, who has been City Councillor for Ward 3 (Town Ward) since 2014, took an early lead in the results and, as more polls reported, continued to widen the gap.
By the time all polls had reported, she had garnered 19,254 votes (69%) to Bennett’s 8,659 (31%).
She ran a change campaign, with policy commitments including immediate action on transportation and mobility, housing affordability, responsible financial leadership and oversight, safe residential streets, a vibrant and healthy downtown, transparency and public engagement at City Hall, improved parking, and protecting the local environment.
Born in Mississauga, Therrien attended McMaster University in Hamilton for an undergraduate degree in history and peace studies. She moved to Peterborough to attend Trent University for a postgraduate degree and graduated with her Master’s Degree in Canadian and Indigenous Studies in 2012.
After working for the Ministry of Aboriginal Affairs in Toronto, Therrien returned to Peterborough to work as facilitator of community education and engagement with the Peterborough Poverty Reduction Network.
She ran for Peterborough City Council in Town Ward for the first time in 2014 and was subsequently elected. She has sat on a number of city committees and boards including the Affordable Housing Action Committee, the Peterborough Downtown Business Improvement Area, and the Art Gallery of Peterborough.
Here are the unofficial 2018 municipal election results in the Kawarthas, including the City and County of Peterborough, the City of Kawartha Lakes, Northumberland County, Haliburton County, and Hastings County.
Most municipalities are listed below, in alphabetical order. Note that this listing does not include school board trustees (check with your municipality).
Amy Simpson, owner of information technology solutions firm MicroAge Peterborough (which is celebrating 35 years in business), launched a new offering for micro-businesses at the Peterborough Chamber of Commerce's Love Local Trade Show on October 3, 2018. (Photo: Jeannine Taylor / kawarthaNOW.com)
This week’s round-up of business news features MicroAge Peterborough celebrating 35 years in business and offering an IT department for micro-businesses, Flying Colours Corp. expanding its Peterborough headquarters, the recipients of this year’s Peterborough Business Excellence Awards, Belair Mechatronics of Omemee winning the grand prize at the 2018 Innovation Awards, the opening of nominations for the 2019 Junior Achievement Business Hall of Fame, a national award for Peterborough Power and Sail Squadron, and Union Gas donating to the Ganaraska Region Conservation Authority.
Every week, our managing editor collects business news and events from across the Kawarthas. If you’d like us to promote your business news or event in businessNOW, please email business@kawarthanow.com.
New regional business events added this week include: a WordPress meetup in Peterborough on October 24th; Peterborough & The Kawarthas Economic Development offering a New Venture Session in Peterborough on October 25th; Northumberland CFDC presenting open discussion on making, coding, STE(AM), and computing in Cobourg on October 25th; the annual TD Economic Outlook Luncheon in Peterborough on October 30th; and the official grand opening of Peterborough Business Hub on November 15th.
MicroAge Peterborough celebrates 35 years and offers micro-businesses an IT department
MicroAge Peterborough is located at 267 Stewart Street in downtown Peterborough. (Image: MicroAge Peterborough)
Information technology solutions firm MicroAge Peterborough (267 Stewart St., Peterborough) is celebrating its 35th year of business, and has launched a new service to bring enterprise-level support to micro-businesses.
Locally owned and operated by Amy Simpson, MicroAge Peterborough is best known for providing solutions for small and medium-sized business and enterprise clients.
“In recent months we have worked with a number of micro-businesses and found that there is a requirement for an offering to assist this market,” Simpson says.
The new service, designed for businesses with one to five computers, provides a single point of contract for security options, procurement, and more.
It includes a help desk for immediate response for a user’s day-to-day technology issues, and a managed security solution (including anti-virus and managed updates and patches) for the Microsoft platform.
The cost is $35 per month per computer, and you can find out more and sign up at www.mynewitdepartment.ca.
Flying Colours Corp. expanding with new 100,000-square-foot hanger at Peterborough Airport
Designed for large jets, the new 100,000-square-foot hanger will include a 40,000-square-foot paint shop and 40,000 square feet for maintenance and interior work. (Rendering: Flying Colours Corp.)
To meet increased customer demand in the business aviation sector, aviation services company Flying Colours Corp. has announced its largest expansion in North America, including a new 100,000-square-foot hanger at its Peterborough headquarters at the Peterborough Airport.
“We were literally running out of space to deliver all the services that our clients were requesting,” says Flying Colours Corp. Executive VP Sean Gillespie.
The new hanger, the fourth at its Peterborough location, will be used for work on large jet airframes. It will include a 40,000-square-foot paint shop, 40,000 square feet for maintenance and interior work, and 20,000 square feet on two upper levels for customer offices, a design centre, and general office space.
The new hanger will also include 20,000 square feet on two upper levels for customer offices, a design centre, and general office space. (Rendering: Flying Colours Corp.)
Ground breaking is planned for this fall, with completion in mid 2019.
Flying Colours Corp. is also completing a new hanger at its U.S. facility in Chesterfield, St. Louis. It includes 30,000 square feet for large-jet maintenance, avionics upgrades, and interior projects, and 18,000 square feet on a second floor for customer lounges, office space, and a storage area.
When the two buildings are complete, the company will be hiring 100 additional staff — including 60 in Peterborough — with a focus on maintenance, interiors, and paint expertise.
The new hanger will help Flying Colours Corp. meet increased customer demand in business aviation sector. A Bombadier Authorized Service Facility, the company recently completed its third heavy maintenance check on a Bombardier Global airframe. (Photo: Flying Colours Corp.)
Flying Colours Corp., a Bombadier Authorized Service Facility (ASF), recently completed its third heavy maintenance check in the airframe of a Bombardier Global Express, a large cabin business jet. The work required the privately owned aircraft to be stripped back to the airframe to enable a full structural inspection. The work also included a full landing gear overhaul, replacement of the cabin seats with new seats, new exterior paint, and interior soft-goods refurbishment and cabinetry refinishing.
The company also delivered its one hundredth major retrofit of a Bombardier Challenger model in October, which underwent a major overhaul of the cabin, avionics, connectivity. and fuselage.
“The business aviation sector is more buoyant than it has been for some time,” Gillespie says. “With our Bombardier ASF status, our breadth of experience working on numerous different aircraft types, and the fact that we can offer a multitude of skills under one roof, so reducing aircraft downtime, is making us very attractive to a wider range of customers.”
2018 Peterborough Business Excellence Awards recipients honoured
The annual Peterborough Business Excellence Awards publicly recognize and honour local businesses that have demonstrated a passion for excellence. (Photo: Peterborough Chamber of Commerce)
The Greater Peterborough Chamber of Commerce handed out the 15th annual Peterborough Business Excellence Awards last Wednesday night (October 17) at Showplace Performance Centre in downtown Peterborough.
Belair Mechatronics of Omemee is grand prize winner of 2018 Innovation Awards
The 2018 Innovation Awards were handed out on October 19, 2018 to Belair Mechatronics, Netmechanics, and The Lindsay Advocate. (Photo: Kawartha Lakes CFDC / Twitter)
Omemee’s Belair Mechatronics is the grand prize winner of the Kawartha Lakes Community Futures Development Corporation (KLCFDC) 20th annual Innovation Awards.
The awards were presented last Friday (October 19) at the Lindsay Golf Club, part of the KLCFDC’s Innovation Day event wrapping up Small Business Week.
Belair Mechatronics won for its “predictive machining” software, which uses big data to monitor and optimize a Computer Numerical Control (CNC) machine’s performance.
Two other businesses were also finalists for the awards.
Netmechanics, a new cyber security consulting firm based in Dunsford, won second place for its focus on protecting small and medium-sized enterprises from cyber threats.
The Lindsay Advocate won third place for its “multimedia news experience”, which includes a news website, a glossy monthly magazine, and an active Facebook and Twitter presence.
2019 Junior Achievement Business Hall of Fame nominations now open
Nominations are now open for the Junior Achievement – Peterborough, Lakefield, Muskoka (JA-PLM) 2018 Business Hall of Fame.
Each year, JA-PLM recognizes individuals who, through their business endeavours over a lifetime, have demonstrated dedication to enhancing the economic prosperity of the community.
The deadline for nominations is by 3 p.m. on Friday, November 30th. The list of 2019 inductees will be announced on Wednesday, January 9, 2019.
Peterborough Power and Sail Squadron receives national award
Peterborough Power and Sail Squadron commander Nick Cliteur (left) accepts the 2018 Squadron of the Year award. (Photo: Don Butt)
The Peterborough Power and Sail Squadron was named the 2018 Squadron of the Year award at the national conference and annual general meeting of the Canadian Power and Sail Squadrons in Ottawa on Saturday (October 20).
Since 1959, the local unit of Canadian Power and Sail Squadrons has trained thousands of recreational boaters in safe practices and knowledge of area waterways,
Union Gas donates to Ganaraska Region Conservation Authority
Brian Alexander, Utility Services Manager with Union Gas in Cobourg, presents a $1,000 cheque to Linda Laliberte, CAO/Secretary-Treasurer with Ganaraska Region Conservation Authority. (Supplied photo)
Union Gas has donated $1,000 to Ganaraska Region Conservation Authority (GRCA) to support the organization’s programs and services.
“Union Gas is proud to support the GRCA and the important environmental conservation work that they are doing across the watershed,” says Brian Alexander, Utility Services Manager with Union Gas in Cobourg.
This is the latest donation by Union Gas, which has donated funds to GRCA over the past six years for various stewardship projects.
In addition, local Union Gas employees have assisted with many initiatives, including tree planting, the development of a native flower garden, and the installation and extension of accessible pathways at the GRCA head office and Corbett’s Dam.
One of the oldest conservation authorities in Ontario, te watersheds of the GRCA covers an area of 361 square miles from Wilmot Creek in Clarington to east of Cobourg from the south shore of Rice Lake down to Lake Ontario. This area includes seven municipalities in whole or in part: Township of Cavan-Monaghan, Town of Cobourg, Township of Alnwick-Haldimand, Township of Hamilton, Municipality of Port Hope, City of Kawartha Lakes, and Municipality of Clarington.
For more information on the Ganaraska Region Conservation Authority’s programs and services, visit www.grca.on.ca.
Women’s Expo Peterborough on October 24
The first-ever Women’s Expo Peterborough, a business-to-business trade show and networking event, takes place from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Wednesday, October 24th at the Peterborough Naval Association (24 Whitlaw St., Peterborough).
The expo will include 25 booth vendors representing all types of women business owners including lawyers, naturopathic practitioner, social media specialists, massage therapists, retail, financial, psychologists, farmers, and more.
There will also be two stations where people can be seated to view a presentation from the exhibitors and ask questions about the products and strategies discussed.
Admission is free with a donation to the YWCA Crossroads Shelter.
WordPress meetup in Peterborough on October 24
If you’re a WordPress enthusiast or professional, you’ll want to attend the Peterborough WordPress Meetup from 6 to 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, October 24th at The Cube at VentureNorth (270 George St. N., Peterborough, K9J 3H1).
There will be networking, a chance to talk about the WordPress platform and share ideas and approaches, and a brief presentation followed by more networking and Q&A.
CANCELLED – Scotiabank presents Business Boot Camp on October 24
Note: This event has been cancelled and will be rescheduled to a future date.
Scotiabank is presenting a business boot camp from 7 to 8 p.m. on Wednesday, October 24th at its office at 111 Hunter St. W., Peterborough.
The event will feature accountant Robert Gauvreau, lawyer John Mesec, and experts from Scotia Wealth Management.
Attendees are encouraged to bring in questions to ask during one-on-one sessions.
Innovation Cluster presents exit strategies workshop in Peterborough on October 25
The Innovation Cluster’s next “Hands-ON” workshop will be on exit strategies and takes place from 12 to 1:30 p.m. on Thursday, October 24th at VentureNorth (270 George St. N., Peterborough).
Nicole Stephenson, partner with Stikeman Keeley Spiegel LLP, will talk about exit strategies for entrepreneurs, including initial public offerings, mergers or acquisitions, and reverse takeovers. Stephenson, a corporate and securities lawyer in Toronto, has extensive experience working with emerging growth companies across North America to implement their exit strategies.
Peterborough & The Kawarthas Economic Development presents New Venture Session in Peterborough on October 25
Peterborough & The Kawarthas Economic Development presents New Venture Session from 6 to 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, October 25th at VentureNorth (270 George St. N., Peterborough).
The New Venture Session is intended for aspiring entrepreneurs or new startups looking for support in the business community. The session includes an overview of the foundations of starting and running a business, resources and programs that are available for entrepreneurs in Peterborough & the Kawarthas, how to access support from the Business Advisory Centre, and and getting started on the Startup Checklist.
Northumberland CFDC hosts open discussion on making, coding, STE(AM), and computing in Cobourg on October 25
The discussion on making, coding, robotics, and more is ideal for parents who want to understand how these opportunities fit into their children’s careers and vocational futures. (Photo: Northumberland CFDC)
Northumberland Community Futures Development Corporation is hosting a “fireside chat” and open discussion on the importance of Making, Coding, Robotics, STE(A)M and Computational Thinking from 7 to 9 p.m. on Thursday, October 25th at Venture13 (739 D’Arcy St., Cobourg).
The discussion will be led by Kelly Bergeron (Canada Learning Code and Executive Director – Cornwall Innovation Centre), Mina Tawadrous (COO – Hatch Canada), Luc Lalande (Mentor, Venture for Canada), Catherine Kerr (Northumberland Makers). and Mary Gillis (Founder, Port Hope Robotics Club).
Along with the panel discussion, there will be an audience Q&A, and a reception with light refreshments following the fireside.
The event is free, but limited to 80 participants. To reserve your space, register on Eventbrite.
Innovation Cluster hosts “Power Breakfast: Gen Y – How Millennials Are Shaping The Future” on October 26
The Innovation Cluster is hosting “Power Breakfast: Gen Y – How Millennials Are Shaping The Future” from 7:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Friday, October 26th in the Garden Court at the Holiday Inn Waterfront (150 George St. N., Peterborough).
Presented by Southern Ontario Fund for Investment in Innovation (SOFII), the breakfast will feature Dr. Kate Withers, Business Development Manager for Central Ontario from Ontario Centres of Excellence, and three local entrepreneurs: Dylan Trepanier (Alexander Optical), Bianca Nucaro (NV Media Productions), and Mercedez Nucaro-Viteri (NV Media Productions).
Application deadline for Cubs’ Lair Entrepreneurship Competition is October 27
Young entrepreneurs in Peterborough and the Kawarthas will pitch their business to a panel of judges at the Gordon Best Theatre in downtown Peterborough on November 22, 2018 during the fourth annual Cubs’ Lair entrepreneurship competition, with a prize package valued up to $10,000. (Photo courtesy of the Innovation Cluster)
The application deadline for the 2018 Cubs’ Lair Entrepreneurship Competition is Saturday, October 27th.
An initiative of FastStart Peterborough, the Innovation Cluster, and the Trent Youth Entrepreneurship Society, Cubs’ Lair gives entrepreneurs between the ages of 18 and 29 the chance to win up to $10,000 in prizes, including office space and equipment, coaching and mentoring, social media promotion, and more.
After applying online, participants will attend a series of three mandatory workshops at the Innovation Cluster that will help them build skills in creating a business model canvas, financing, marketing, and preparing their pitch to a panel of judges.
The top five finalists will be announced on Friday, November 9th, with the final pitch event taking place at 6 p.m. on Thursday, November 22nd at the Gordon Best Theatre in downtown Peterborough. A panel of established business professionals will test competitors’ knowledge of how they will grow the business and judge the best pitch.
Annual TD Economic Outlook Luncheon in Peterborough on October 30
The TD Economic Outlook Luncheon is your chance to explore trends, opportunities, and challenges both within our local communities in Peterborough & the Kawarthas and across the globe. (Photo: Peterborough & the Kawarthas Economic Development)
The TD Economic Outlook Luncheon takes place from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on Tuesday, October 30th at the Peterborough Golf & Country Club (1030 Armour Rd., Peterborough).
The annual event explores trends, opportunities, and challenges both within local communities in Peterborough & the Kawarthas and across the globe. It features a discussion led by Derek Burleton, TD Bank Group Vice-President and Deputy Chief Economist, and an update from Rhonda Keenan, President & CEO of Peterborough & the Kawarthas Economic Development.
This luncheon is presented by TD Bank Group, Collins Barrow, Kawartha Manufacturers’ Association, and Peterborough & the Kawarthas Economic Development.
Kawartha Chamber Awards of Excellence and Social Gala in Lakefield on November 8
The Kawartha Chamber of Commerce & Tourism is hosting its 2018 Awards of Excellence and Social Gala at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, November 8th at Lakefield College School (4391 County Rd. 29, Lakefield).
Unlike previous years, the format for this year’s presentation will be a social gala format, with a reception taking place at Upper Hadden Hall followed by the awards presentation in the Bryan Jones Theatre.
There will be both silent and live auction items, light hor d’oeuvres, cash bar, music from Rhythm & Grace, and time for socialization and networking before the awards.
Tickets are $40 per person, which includes the hor d’oeuvres and one drink ticket.
Peterborough Business Hub hosts its official grand opening on November 15
Located at 398 McDonnel Street, Peterborough Business Hub offers office rentals and coworking space. (Photo: Peterborough Business Hub)
Peterborough Business Hub, which offers office rentals and coworking space, is hosting its official grand opening celebration from 5 to 7 p.m. on Thursday, November 15th at its location at 398 McDonnel Street in Peterborough.
While the business has been open for a few months, the official celebration provides a chance to see the offices, meet the staff, and get to know existing clients and their businesses.
Application deadline for Win This Space 2019 entrepreneurial competition is November 16
The Win This Space entrepreneurial competition is returning for its third year in 2019. (Photo: Peterborough DBIA)
Entrepreneurs have until Friday, November 16th to put together a video application and submit it to the 2019 Win This Space competition, an initiative of the Peterborough Downtown Business Improvement Area in partnership with Peterborough & the Kawarthas Economic Development, Community Futures Peterborough, and Shorelines Slots at Kawartha Downs.
The top 10 finalists will take several workshops to fine-tune their business plans before a winner is chosen on March 5th by a panel of judges.
The winner will then have their choice of available participating downtown locations free for one year. To cover rent payments, several sponsors are adopting a month and contributing $2,000 toward each month’s lease.
Visit winthisspace.com for the rules and regulations and application instructions.
Peterborough residents Carlotta James and Rodney Fuentes are part of a team planning the Monarch Ultra, a 4,300-kilometre relay run through Canada, the United States, and Mexico to raise awareness of the decline of the monarch butterfly, which makes the same journey every fall. The project will also include a documentary film about the run, and the group has launched a crowdfunding campaign to support an initial trip to ensure the planned route is safe. (Photo: Rodney Fuentes)
Forty-two runners, each running a 100-kilometre ultra-marathon, all the way from Peterborough in Canada to the Sierra Madre mountains in central Mexico — the same 4,300-kilometre journey monarch butterflies make each fall.
That’s the dream of Peterborough residents Carlotta James and Rodney Fuentes who, along with Elmira’s Clay Williams and Toronto’s Galen Brown, have launched a Kickstarter campaign to fund the first stage of what they are calling the Monarch Ultra relay.
Planned for the fall of 2019, the Monarch Ultra would be the first attempt to run the length of North America (Canada, the United States, and Mexico), with the objective being to raise awareness of the monarch butterflies who make the same journey and the threats to these resilient insects as well as other pollinators.
Carlotta James, Rodney Fuentes, and Clay Williams are on a mission to build a 4,300-kilometre relay run through three countries, make a documentary about it, and save the monarch butterfly from extinction along the way. (Photo: Rodney Fuentes)
“Their populations are in steep decline,” says Carlotta James, who is a life-long runner and a pollinator advocate. “In the 1980s, their numbers were in the billions and now they’re in the millions. There’s many reasons for that: pesticide use, climate change, habitat loss, disease.”
James is co-founder of the Peterborough Pollinators, a grassroots citizen-led group working together to meet the challenge of declining pollinator populations. Peterborough Pollinators works in the community to raise awareness of pollinators so crucial to food security and biodiversity and to the well being of our ecosystems.
“I’ve had this dream for a while, to run beside the flight of the monarchs,” James says, explaining the idea behind the run. “I want people to understand the strength and beauty of the monarchs through this project, to understand our connection to the land.”
But the Monarch Ultra project not only involves organizing and executing the relay run — a feat all of its own — but also creating a documentary film about the run. That’s where filmmaker Rodney Fuentes comes in, along with producer Galen Brown, founder of Toronto’s 3004 Studios.
“We are looking for support to start filming the first stage of this documentary,” Fuentes says, “which is a road trip that we need to do from Peterborough Ontario all the way down to the Sierra Madre mountains in Mexico.”
The purpose of the trip is to review the intended route of the Monarch Ultra, a route designed by Clay Williams, an avid runner from Elmira who created and ran the Canal Pursuit for Mental Health, a 780-kilometre route from Georgian Bay to Ottawa.
The Monarch Ultra is a relay race featuring at least 42 ultra-marathoners who will run 4,300 kilometres from Peterborough, Canada to Michoacán, Mexico, emulating the same journey that monarch butterflies take each fall. (Photo: Clay Williams)
“My role as the mapping expert is to make sure that the entire course of 4,300 kilometres is safe for runners to run on,” explains Williams, who is also the ultra-race director.
“That’s a primary concern. I also have to check out each of the stop points and make sure it’s a safe place to park a car and have a little crew on the side of the road.
“We’ll be talking to interested parties along the route as well: running groups and conservation groups, as many people as we can along the way to spread the word.”
The Monarch Ultra documentary will be produced by Galen Brown, founder of 3004 Studios in Toronto. (Photo via Kickstarter)
The team is seeking to raise $30,000 through Kickstarter to support video camera rentals, lodging and meals for the crew during the trip, car rental and gas, travel insurance and permits, and crew fees.
Any extra funds raised through the campaign will go towards production costs, additional filming opportunities with monarch butterfly experts, and marketing to promote the project across North America.
Of course, an ultra-marathon relay run requires runners, and the team is also seeking ultra-runners who could each cover 50 to 100 kilometres along the route — running across a diversity of landscapes including mountain paths, forests, meadows, deserts, and cities.
“For the runners that participate in this project, to be able to feel a little bit of the pain, the struggle, but also the complete resilience of the monarch butterfly and what they have to go through every fall,” James says.
“It’ll be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for those involved and I also believe it’s going to be transformational for the ultra-runners.”
VIDEO: The Monarch Ultra
Ultra-runners who are interested in participating should email Williams at 100mileclay@gmail.com. He will add your name to the list of participants and advise when registration for the race is available next year.
A detail of "Rebirth and Resilience", the latest public art mural in the the City of Peterborough Public Art Program, which was officially unveiled today at the YES Shelter for Youth and Families building at 196 Brock Street in downtown Peterborough. The mural created by Toronto-based artists Caitlin Taguibao and Andrea Manica. (Photo: Jeannine Taylor / kawarthaNOW.com)
The latest mural in the City of Peterborough’s Public Art Program was officially unveiled earlier today (October 19) at the YES Shelter for Youth and Families at 196 Brock Street in downtown Peterborough.
The mural, entitled “Rebirth and Resilience”, was created by Toronto-based artists Caitlin Taguibao and Andrea Manica. It consists of 42 panels spanning 768 square feet, and covers the entire east-facing brick façade of the YES Shelter building.
Taguibao and Manica used images of strawberry plants and dandelions in different stages of life as metaphors for compassion, kindness, and a belief that people can grow and change.
Toronto-based artists Caitlin Taguibao and Andrea Manica in front of their creation. (Photo: Jeannine Taylor / kawarthaNOW.com)
The two illustrators and graphic artists, who have collaborated in the past on public murals, were chosen to create the mural earlier this year as a result of a request for proposals submitted to the City of Peterborough Public Art Program.
“The dandelion can often be seen growing between cracks in the sidewalk, in abandoned industrial spaces, and abundantly on the sides of roads,” they wrote in their proposal. “Sometimes considered a pesky plant, we would like to instead celebrate the resilience of its growth and recognize the many nurturing and medicinal properties it holds.
“Also featured is the strawberry plant, the first fruit of the Ontario season and a symbol of birth. When viewing our mural, we hope the takeaway is a sense of joy and playfulness — that refreshing feeling you get when you bite into a strawberry.”
The mural covers the entire east-facing brick façade of the Brock Street building, adjacent to the municipal parking lot. (Photo: Jeannine Taylor / kawarthaNOW.com)
This is the third public art mural commissioned as part of the Downtown Mural Project, conceived in partnership with the Peterborough Downtown Business Improvement Association (DBIA) and funded by the DBIA and the City of Peterborough.
Artist Alex Bierk installed his “Passing Cloud” mural on the east wall of the Highway Enforcement Legal Protection (H.E.L.P.) building at 114 Simcoe Street in 2016, and artist Chrissy Poitras painted her “Floral Abstraction” mural on the south wall of the building at 378 Aylmer Street in Peterborough, which houses both Artspace and Peterborough GreenUP, in 2017.
In addition to the downtown murals, the City of Peterborough Public Art Program has funded two murals under the arches of the Hunter Street bridge.
The crowd at the official unveiling of the mural, which took place just prior to the YES Shelter’s annual “Soup Stock” fundraiser to support YES and the United Way. (Photo: Jeannine Taylor / kawarthaNOW.com)
Herbie Barnes as Arthur Copper and Tracey Hoyt as Maureen Poole in the original Tarragon Theatre production of "Cottagers and Indians", Drew Hayden Taylor's light-hearted exploration of the real-life conflict between cottagers objecting to the production of wild rice in Pigeon Lake by James Whetung of Curve Lake First Nation. Barnes will reprise his role, with Brooke Johnson taking on the role of Maureen, in the touring version of the play, which will be performed at Curve Lake First Nation, Bobcaygeon, and Peterborough in October and November. (Photo: Cylla von Tiedemann)
Local headlines and theatre collide when Toronto’s Tarragon Theatre production of Cottagers and Indians by Drew Hayden Taylor tours the Kawarthas in October and November.
Where & when to see it
In Peterborough, Cottagers and Indians will be performed at 2 p.m. on November 27th at Showplace Performance Centre, and at 12:30 p.m. and 7 p.m. on November 28th and 29th at the Market Hall. Tickets are $30 ($20 students and underwaged, $10 high school students) and can be purchased at the venues’ box offices. Details are available below.
There will also be a free public talk at the Market Hall at 7:30 p.m. on November 26th featuring featuring playwright Drew Hayden Taylor, wild rice harvester James Whetung, and elder and treaty expert Douglas Williams.
The Kawarthas is the first stop on a multi-city tour across Ontario, with stops in Curve Lake on October 22nd and Bobcaygeon from October 23rd to 25th, before arriving in Peterborough on November 27th.
Making its debut in February 2018, Cottagers and Indians was inspired by the decades-old battle between Curve Lake First Nation’s James Whetung and cottagers on Pigeon Lake about Whetung’s production of wild rice (called “manomin” in the language of the Anishinaabe people, meaning “gift from the creator”).
Cottagers and Indians was written by humourist, journalist, and award-winning playwright Drew Hayden Taylor, who himself originates from Curve Lake, based on the continuing conflict that has made national headlines.
“It’s an issue that’s been going on in Kawartha Lakes for between ten to fifteen years,” Drew says in a phone interview from his home in Toronto. “Wild rice had grown in this area quite lushly since time immemorial. That’s what Rice Lake was named after. But within the last hundred years it had died out for a number of reasons.”
Drew goes on to explain the origin of the conflict that led to Cottagers and Indians.
“For the past number of years, James Whetung has been reintroducing wild rice, or manomin as we call it, in many of the Kawartha Lakes for a number of reasons. Part of it has to do with the fact that diabetes is a big problem in the native community, and he sees the aboriginal reliance on junk food as being a big part of that. Wild rice is a big part of the reintroduction of traditional foods into the native diet.
“The problem is, when wild rice grows, it grows about thirty to eighty centimetres above the water line and, because these are shallow lakes, it tends to make the lakes look marshy. The plants tend to inhibit boating, fishing, and swimming, and bring down the property values of cottages in the area.
“So this precipitated antagonism between James and many of the local cottagers who wanted pristine, unmarred lakes only.”
A photo of wild rice growing in Pigeon Lake taken by Larry Wood, a spokesperson for Save Pigeon Lake, an initiative that objects to the production of wild rice because of its impact on the lake and non-Indigenous residents. (Photo: Larry Wood)
Knowing James through his own connection to Curve Lake, Drew had the idea for Cottagers and Indians after he received an email from Tarragon Theatre’s artistic director Richard Rose.
“Richard sent me an article he had read about the wild rice controversy and said there’s a story in this,” Drew recalls. “I read the article and realized I knew all about it. I grew up in the area, and I know James, and I had written an article about this subject for NOW Magazine.
“But I felt it was difficult to dramatize a wild rice bed. But (Richard) persisted and I realized that this thing was very dramatic and very interesting. So I started thinking about it, and put some playwriting muscles to work, and I got ideas for the play.”
Cottagers and Indians is a comedic two-hander that looks at both sides of the issue. The original Toronto production was directed by Patti Shaughnessy of Curve Lake First Nation, with the remount directed by Tarragon Theatre’s Melody Johnson.
The Indigenous side is represented by actor Herbie Barnes, who starred in the original Toronto production, and the settler side is represented by Brooke Johnson (taking on the role performed by Tracey Hoyt in the original production).
Herbie Barnes reprises his role as Arthur Copper from the original Tarragon Theatre production of “Cottagers and Indians”. The character is based on James Whetung of Curve Lake First Nation. (Photo: Cylla von Tiedemann)
“My indigenous character, who is based on James Whetung, is named Arthur Copper,” Drew explains. “He’s a gentleman who has the same philosophy as James, to reintroduce wild rice as a form of food sovereignty. Then there is a woman, named Maureen Poole, who takes it upon herself to represent all the non-native cottagers in the area, leading the challenge against Arthur.”
Drew presents Cottagers and Indians as a balanced exploration of both sides of the battle, and tries to give equal respect to opposing opinions. However, he admits that he has his own bias on the issue.
“I know James Whetung very well and I went to school with his brothers and sisters,” Drew says. “It’s no secret that I’m more on James’ side than the cottagers’ side. But the importance of good drama is presenting both sides and allowing the audience to make their own decision.
“I’m hoping that both characters are relatable and equal and sympathetic. I’m not here to point fingers and make accusations. I’m trying to be fair and hopefully present both sides of the argument. So this is just an exploration of the issue.”
Drew also presents the different relationships and philosophies the two characters have with the land itself.
“Many cottagers are looking for an aesthetic lake instead of a functioning or practical lake,” Drew points out. “So my show deals with the different perspectives on the importance of nature and life. Arthur, like most native people, believes that we don’t own the land but are merely a part of it. Maureen believes that this a wonderful place to get away from the city.”
Brooke Johnson performs as Maureen Poole in Tarragon Theatre’s remount of of “Cottagers and Indians”. (Photo: Tarragon Theatre)
It is important to note that while the wild rice controversy itself has been tense, Cottagers and Indians is filled with humour.
“It’s very comedic in nature,” Drew says. “I’m a firm believer that you can teach and educate as much through humour as you can through anything more didactic. I’m also a firm believer that the vast majority of contemporary native theater tends to deal with darker aspects of indigenous history. So I like to celebrate our strengths and who we are and what we do, and I tend to approach my stories from a more positive perspective.”
During its initial five-week run in Toronto, Cottagers and Indians was a huge success for Tarragon Theatre, receiving positive reviews and seeing a 95 per cent box office rate. Audience members began requesting James Whetung’s wild rice, and packages of the rice were brought into the theatre and quickly sold out during the final three weeks of the show.
Due to its success and continued interest in the show, Cottagers and Indians has become the first show ever to be toured by the Tarragon. It will be performed in 14 different cities across Ontario before going back to the Tarragon for another four-week run in February 2019.
“I’m blown away by the success of this single story,” Drew says. “I didn’t realize that it has the resonance that it seems to have, so I’m very delighted. It’s also going to be published next February, and I’ve already had r4equests from several post-secondary schools to get copies so they can introduce it into their curriculum.”
VIDEO: James Whetung and Black Duck Wild Rice
October’s run of Cottagers and Indians is presented by the Truth and Reconciliation Committee – Bobcaygeon, with the opening performance of the tour at the Community Centre at Curve Lake First Nation on October 22nd followed by three performances at Lakeview Arts Barn in Bobcaygeon from October 23rd to 25th.
The committee has also organized two daytime performances on October 24th and 24th for local high school students, who will be learn about wild rice at the Gamiing Nature Centre with presentations by Drew and James Whetung before seeing the show at the Lakeview Arts Barn.
“When we learned from the play that Drew had written we felt it’d be great to bring it to the Kawarthas,” says Rodney Smith Merkley of the Truth and Reconciliation Committee – Bobcaygeon. “Through some donations from OPSEU and Unifor and through conversations with Tarragon Theatre, we are the first stop on the tour.”
“Hopefully the show will promote conversation and healthy relationships between settlers and indigenous neighbours and the land,” Rodney says. “Hopefully it’ll create a space together to talk, to laugh, and to commune. It allows us to take a step back and see the situation in a different light. I really respect what Drew does in using humour to talk about difficult issues.”
Having any production by the esteemed Tarragon Theatre in our area is an exciting opportunity, but to cover an issue that hits so close to home makes this an extra important show for our area.
VIDEO: “Cottagers and Indians” trailer (original Tarragon Theatre production)
Cottagers and Indians opens on Monday, October 22nd at the Curve Lake Community Centre (20 Whetung St. E., Curve Lake) with the show starting at 7 p.m. The performance is free for members of Curve Lake First Nation and guests.
The play will then be performed at Bobcaygeon’s Lakeview Arts Barn (2300 Pigeon Lake Rd., Bobcaygeon) from Tuesday, October 23rd to Thursday, October 25th at 8 p.m. Tickets are $25+HST and are available at the Globus Theatre box office by calling 705-738-2037 or 1-800-304-7897 (a dinner theatre package is available for $61.50+HST). Drew will be attending some of the performances to share his insights with the audience. Editor’s note: as of October 22nd, all three Bobcaygeon performances are now sold out.
Peterborough performances
After touring the GTA and Kingston, Cottagers and Indians then returns to the Kawarthas with five performances on three dates in Peterborough, presented by Public Energy. General admission tickets for all performances are $30 for adults, $14 for college or university students and the underwaged, and $10 for high school students (must show ID).
A matinee performance at 2 p.m. on Tuesday, November 27th takes place at Showplace Performance Centre (290 George St. N., Peterborough). Tickets are available in person at the box office, by phone at 705-742-7469, or online at Showplace Box Office or online at showplace.org.
On Wednesday, November 28th and Thursday, November 29th at Market Hall Performing Arts Centre (140 Charlotte St, Peterborough), there will be performances at 12:30 p.m. and 7 p.m. on both days. Tickets can be purchased in person at the Market Hall box office, by phone at 705-749-1146, or online at markethall.org.
There will be a post-show Q&A with the artists at the November 27th performance at Showplace, both performances on November 28th at the Market Hall, and the 12:30 p.m. performance at the Market Hall on November 29th, with a post-show reception at the Market Hall following the 7 p.m. performance on November 29th.
On Monday, November 26th at 7:30 p.m. at the Market Hall, there will be a public talk featuring playwright Drew Hayden Taylor, wild rice harvester James Whetung, and Curve Lake elder and treaty expert Douglas Williams. Presented by Public Energy and the Pine Tree Lectures of Chanie Wenjack School for Indigenous Studies at Trent University, the free event will be moderated by Anne Taylor.
Roger Neilson Public School principal Denise Humphries (right) cuts the ribbon on the Rotary Buddy Bench as Nate Loch, Rotarian Donna Geary, and Rotary Club of Peterborough Kawartha president Brian Prentice look on. Geary and her son Nate initiated the Rotary Buddy Bench program in Peterborough last year, donating a bench to St. Catherine's Catholic Elementary School in Peterborough. (Photo: Rotary Club of Peterborough Kawartha)
For the second year in a row, the Rotary Club of Peterborough Kawartha has presented a Peterborough elementary school with a “buddy bench.”
Rotarians presented the Rotary Buddy Bench earlier today (October 18) to principal Denise Humphries and the staff and students at Roger Neilson Public School on Erskine Avenue in Peterborough.
“Thank you to the Rotary Club of Peterborough Kawartha for honouring Roger Neilson Public School and for the generous donation of our new Buddy Bench,” said Humphries. “We hope that the Buddy Bench provides an opportunity for students to foster new friendships, build empathy and reinforce inclusiveness.”
Last year, the Rotary Club of Peterborough Kawartha donated the first Rotary Buddy Bench to St. Catherine’s Catholic Elementary School in Peterborough.
A buddy bench, also known as a friendship bench, is designed to reduce loneliness and foster friendships on the playground. The popularity of the benches has grown across Canada, as well as the United States and Europe.
Kawartha Rotarian Donna Geary and her son Nate Loch initiated the Rotary Buddy Bench program in Peterborough last year.
During today’s presentation, Nate shared his past experiences of both inclusiveness and exclusiveness in both elementary and high school — of being both the victim and the perpetrator of bullying.
“The Buddy Bench is something that I really wish I had growing up,” Nate said. “It’s a good social tool for the kids of Roger Neilson to combat the problem of bullying. By understanding one another, we find similarities we might not have found, and unlikely friendships can form from even the smallest of encounters.
“I hope that the Buddy Bench helps create some of these unlikely friendships and helps keep as a reminder that we all could be on that bench at one point in our lives. Looking for a friend, looking for someone to listen, to simply just be a presence even for a moment.”
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