Home Blog Page 82

Kawartha Tri-Sport Tournament in Ennismore donates $72,000 to five Peterborough-area charities

The organizers of the annual Kawartha Tri-Sport Tournament presented a donation of $15,000 to Five Counties Children's Centre on November 22, 2024, as part of the $72,000 raised during the ninth annual tournament held from September 13 to 16 in Ennismore. (Photo courtesy of Kawartha Tri-Sport Tournament)

Having raised $72,000 in support of local charities in 2024, the Kawartha Tri-Sport Tournament is setting its sights even higher for 2025.

Now in its ninth year, the annual sports tournament in Ennismore takes place every September and features hockey, baseball, and golf, along with raffle prizes, a beer garden, and live music.

This year’s tournament, which was held from September 13 to 16 at the Ennismore Community Centre and at local golf courses, saw more than 300 participants with support from over 50 donors and 80 sponsors, raising a total of $72,000 for Peterborough-area charities.

Advertisement - content continues below

 

 

Of that total, $20,000 was donated to Hearts 4 Joy, $15,000 to Hospice Peterborough, $15,000 to Five Counties Children’s Centre, $15,000 to the Ennismore Inclusive Playground Project, and $5,000 to the Huntington Society of Canada’s Peterborough Chapter.

The Kawartha Tri-Sport Tournament, which is organized by committee members Ben Mark, Jay Mark, Matt O’Halloran, Katelyn Mulligan, Kyle Simmons, Christina Scott, and Michelle Tober, held its first event in 2016, raising $9,000.

Since then, it has raised almost $300,000 for local charities, including the $72,000 raised this year and $50,000 raised last year.

Advertisement - content continues below

 

 

“This event has become so much more than we could have ever hoped,” Ben Mark says. “To see the lives it’s changed and the people it’s helped gives me such a sense of pride.”

For its 10th annual tournament in September 2025, the group is aiming to exceed this year’s total and raise $100,000.

The dates for the 2025 tournament are still to be announced. For updates, follow the Kawartha Tri-Sport Tournament on Facebook and Instagram.

The organizers of the annual Kawartha Tri-Sport Tournament presented a donation of $15,000 to Hospice Peterborough on November 21, 2024, as part of the $72,000 raised during the ninth annual tournament held from September 13 to 16 in Ennismore. (Photo courtesy of Kawartha Tri-Sport Tournament)
The organizers of the annual Kawartha Tri-Sport Tournament presented a donation of $15,000 to Hospice Peterborough on November 21, 2024, as part of the $72,000 raised during the ninth annual tournament held from September 13 to 16 in Ennismore. (Photo courtesy of Kawartha Tri-Sport Tournament)

encoreNOW – December 9, 2024

encoreNOW for December 9, 2024 features (from left to right, top and bottom) Ballet Jörgen's "The Nutcracker: A Canadian Tradition" at Showplace on December 11, "Up To Snow Good" at the Peterborough Theatre Guild from December 11 to 15, the Elmer Iseler Singers with the Peterborough Symphony Orchestra at Emmanuel United Church on December 14, "A Cozy Christmas" at Showplace Performance Centre on December 15, the Sultans of String and musical guests at Cobourg's Victoria Hall on December 19, and Victoria Yeh's "Timeless" concert at the Market Hall on December 21. (kawarthaNOW collage)

encoreNOW is a bi-weekly column by Paul Rellinger where he features upcoming music, theatre, film, and performing arts events and news from across the Kawarthas.

This week, Paul highlights Ballet Jörgen’s Canadian adaptation of The Nutcracker at Peterborough’s Showplace Performance Centre, Megan Murphy and Kate Suhr’s seasonal reprisal of The Verandah Society at the Peterborough Theatre Guild, the Peterborough Symphony Orchestra’s “Season of Lights” holiday concert at Emmanuel United Church, the Foley family’s annual “A Cozy Christmas” benefit concert at Showplace, the Sultans of String’s “Christmas Caravan” concert at Cobourg’s Victoria Hall, and violinist Victoria Yeh’s “Timeless” winter solstice concert at Peterborough’s Market Hall.

Advertisement - content continues below

 

 

Ballet Jörgen returns to Showplace Performance Centre with its Canadian take on a seasonal classic

VIDEO: “The Nutcracker: A Canadian Tradition” trailer (2018)

In the realm of seasonal stage favourites, The Nutcracker sits rightfully on the throne.

When Pyotr Tchaikovsky scored his two-act classical ballet in 1892 based on a short story by Alexander Dumas, he had already gifted the world his magnificent Swan Lake and The Sleeping Beauty. But The Nutcracker arguably remains his most widely beloved work, proof of that found in its perennial Christmas season staging by dance companies around the globe.

Toronto-based Ballet Jörgen has been bringing its unique Canada-themed version of The Nutcracker to stages across the country for years. So it is that “The Nutcracker: A Canadian Tradition” returns to the Showplace Performance Centre in downtown Peterborough on Wednesday (December 11).

Set to Tchaikovsky’s magnificent score by Ballet Jörgen co-founder and artistic director Bengt Jörgen, and born from a collaboration with Kleinburg’s McMichael Canadian Art Collection, with well in excess of 100 costumes made of richly coloured fabrics, “The Nutcracker: A Canadian Tradition” is as much as feast for the eyes as it as delight for the ears.

The production’s 30-foot backdrops highlight 20th century Canadian landscapes, including Franklin Carmichael’s “Church and Houses at Bisset” (1931), Tom Thompson’s “Snow in the Woods” (1916), and L.L. Fitzgerald’s “Trees and Wildflowers” (1922) as we tag along on Klara’s magical dream journey as she arrives in Canada and experiences winter landscapes filled with snowflakes, lumberjacks, Mounties, and creatures of the woods.

Since Jörgen launched his company with Susan Bodie in 1987, Ballet Jörgen has produced hundreds of original creations, with many of those — including “The Nutcracker: A Canadian Tradition” — created with wholesome family entertainment front of mind. Simply put, this is a great opportunity to show the kids there’s a vibrant and exciting world beyond their iPad screens.

Tickets to the 7:30 p.m. performance cost $59.50, $47 for children under 12, at www.showplace.org.

 

Pals Megan Murphy and Kate Suhr are “Up To Snow Good” at the Peterborough Theatre Guild

VIDEO: “The Verandah Society: Up To Snow Good”

Two of my favourite humans, and by many accounts two of many of your favourite humans as well, are Megan Murphy and Kate Suhr.

Besides being ridiculously talented, both are blessed with bigger-than-life personas that captivate one from the get-go. Whenever we’ve chatted, which is never enough, both Murphy and Suhr have had me from hello.

Back in the summer of 2020, as we fretted over lockdowns and vaccines and all the rest, Murphy and Suhr created The Verandah Society. Born to perform, be it via song or storytelling, the pair saw an opportunity to connect with the live entertainment-starved by bringing their talent to them, their stage being front porches, backyards, farm properties and patios, all while adhering to lockdown regulations.

Among those impressed with their passion and their work was 4th Line Theatre managing artistic director Kim Blackwell — a pretty influential person to impress. That led to the 2021 staging of The Verandah Society in Residence at 4th Line’s Winslow Farm venue near Millbrook.

That collaboration has since evolved, the result being 4th Line’s presentation of the world premiere of “The Verandah Society: Up To Snow Good”, which opens on Wednesday (December 11) at the Guild Hall, the home of the Peterborough Theatre Guild on Rogers Street in Peterborough’s East City, and runs for seven performances until Sunday (December 15).

Created by Murphy and Suhr and directed by Blackwell, the Christmas-themed show serves up heartwarming and quite funny original storytelling alongside foot-tapping music featuring the pair’s inspiring vocals. And they come not alone, with guests including veteran 4th Line musical director, composer, and musician Justin Hiscox, their good pal singer-songwriter Melissa Payne, and the always-entertaining Dan Fewings.

As Murphy recently assured kawarthNOW’s Megan Gallant, the show will feature “lots of fun, lots of joy, lots of reflection, and a little bit of permission to indulge a couple of the complicated feelings that come during the holidays.” Those are all pretty good things to discover under the tree.

Performance dates are December 11 to 15 at 7 p.m., with at 1 p.m. matinee on December 13 and 2 p.m. matinees on December 14 and 15. General admission tickets are $40 ($30 for children and youth five to 16 years old) and are available at www.4thlinetheatre.on.ca.

Advertisement - content continues below

 

 

Peterborough Symphony Orchestra joined by award-winning choir to celebrate the holidays at Emmanuel United Church

VIDEO: “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” – Elmer Iseler Singers

Joining the long and impressive list of local ensembles serving up a holiday season treat is the Peterborough Symphony Orchestra, which presents its “Season of Lights” holiday concert on Saturday (December 14) at Emmanuel United Church at George and McDonnel streets in downtown Peterborough.

With music director and conductor Michael Newnham at the helm as always, the orchestra is being joined by the Juno award-winning Elmer Iseler Singers to perform a traditional holiday favourites for orchestra and choir.

Securing the Elmer Iseler Singers for this concert is quite a coup for the PSO. Founded in 1979 by Dr. Elmer Iseler, the choral ensemble is in the midst of its 46th season. Now under the direction of artistic director Lydia Adams, it has performed across North America and international. In 2019, a recording collaboration with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra brought a Grammy Award nomination and a Juno Award.

The orchestra will perform instrumental music including The Nutcracker Suite, the prelude to the opera Hansel and Gretel, and Bob Krogstad’s Christmas carol arrangement “The Bells of Christmas”, with the Elmer Iseler Singers joining the orchestra to sing the Hallelujah Chorus from Handel’s Messiah, Howard Cable’s “A Merry Christmas Medley”, John Debney’s “Elf” suite from the motion picture, and more — including an audience sing-along with the choir at the end of the concert.

A huge bonus here is the setting of Emmanuel United Church and its fine acoustics. That big orchestra sound promises to be quite something. Add in the voices of the Elmer Iseler Singers and quite something is a given.

Tickets for the 7:30 p.m. concert range from $33 to $55 ($12 students) for assigned seating and are available thepso.org/season-of-lights. As usual, Newnham will deliver a pre-concert talk at 6:45 p.m., so arrive early for the full experience.

 

The Foley family gets all cozy for Christmas again at Showplace Performance Centre

Peterborough's Foley family and their musical friends will perform at the 21st annual "A Cozy Christmas" benefit concert at Showplace Performance Centre in downtown Peterborough on December 15, 2024, once again raising money for a school in West Africa. (Photo courtesy of Foley family)
Peterborough’s Foley family and their musical friends will perform at the 21st annual “A Cozy Christmas” benefit concert at Showplace Performance Centre in downtown Peterborough on December 15, 2024, once again raising money for a school in West Africa. (Photo courtesy of Foley family)

Just a couple of months removed from its September staging of Foley’s East Coast Pub, the uber-talented Foley family is at again, headlining its annual “A Cozy Christmas” holiday benefit concert on Sunday (December 15) at Showplace Performance Centre in downtown Peterborough.

This is the 21st year for Foleys’ celebration of the Christmas season, with all proceeds again benefiting Hungerpiller Christian Academy, a school in Payneville, Liberia that Theresa Foley works with.

It was back in 2007, and again in 2008, that she visited the West Africa school with Peter Brown. Working alongside Thunder Bay-based Lifewater Canada, they founded Humanwave with the goal of raising money to bring safe water wells to communities in need.

Emceed by the always-engaging Hugh Foley, the lineup features The Woodhouse Crooks, Bridget Foley and the Gospel Girls, Asante (Theresa Foley, Sheila Prophet, and Norma Curtis), Colleen Anthony, the Foley-Anthony-Vandermey kids, and Amelia Foley, with special guests Bob Trennum, Lizeh Basciano, the Celtic Pub Band, and Banish Misfortune (Tanah Haney and John Hoffman) also in the mix.

That’s a whole of lot talent delivering favourite holiday classics and new songs as well, all for a good cause.

Tickets to the 2 p.m. show cost $25 ($15 for students) and are available at showplace.org. Arrive early and check out the Christmas Village in the lower-level Cogeco Studio for vendors and a silent auction.

Advertisement - content continues below

 

 

Sultans of String bring their Christmas Caravan to Cobourg’s Victoria Hall

VIDEO: “A Django Christmas” – Sultans of String

For more than a decade, the Juno award-nominated band Sultans of String have served up their signature style of world music with a genre-hopping fusion of Celtic reels, flamenco, jazz, Arabic, Cuban, and South Asian rhythms.

For their “Christmas Caravan” tour over the holidays, which includes a stop at the Concert Hall at Victoria Hall in Cobourg on Thursday, December 19, the band will bring its signature sound to well-known festive classics including “Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring”, “Jesous Ahatonhia” (with newly translated Indigenous lyrics), “Greensleeves” and “Silent Night” with a Turkish Twist, a flamenco-style “Jingle Bells”, as well as “A Django Christmas” inspired by the legendary gypsy jazz guitarist Django Reinhardt.

At their Cobourg concert presented by Ken Prue of Loft Cobourg Jazz, the Sultans of String — featuring founder Chris McKhool on violin, Kevin Laliberté on guitar, Drew Birston on bass, Rosendo Chendy on percussion, and Eddie Paton on guitar — will be joined by guest vocalist Rebecca Campbell, nyckelharpa player Saskia Tomkins, Cuban percussionist Alberto Suarez, multi-instrumentalist Ken Whiteley, and more.

General admission tickets for the 7 p.m. concert are $44 plus tax and service fee, and are available online at tickets.cobourg.ca, by phone at 905-372-2210, or by emailing kenprue@gmail.com.

 

Victoria Yeh’s “Timeless” winter solstice concert again provides a most welcome respite

VIDEO: Victoria Yeh’s “Timeless” trailer

With the days just before Christmas promising to be hectic as always, all the more reason to treat yourself for a concert experience that will provide a welcome respite from the madness.

To that end, Peterborough-based electric fusion violinist Victoria Yeh will again deliver in a big way, again headlining “Timeless, her remarkable celebration of the winter solstice guaranteed to lift spirits on the darkest day of the year in downtown Peterborough at the Market Hall Performing Arts Centre.

Billed as “an evening of the violin through the ages,” the concert on Saturday, December 21st will see Yeh perform with the 11-piece string ensemble Spirit Awakens Orchestra and her own jazz quartet. She will be joined by special musical guests John Kraus (clarinet) and Mike Graham (guitar). Also featured are conductor Cheryll Chung from Toronto, Grammy award-winning bassist Steve Lucas, and David Hines (formerly with Amanda Marshall),

Yeh will be performing selections by Vivaldi, Piazzolla, and Chopin along with original music from her jazz fusion albums Spirit Awakens and Timeless.

When we chatted in December of last year before her staging of this same concert, Yeh provided a terrific overview of the aim behind it.

“In this age of social media highlight reels, we live in a time where we have unreasonable expectations of happiness,” she said. “But everything in life is impermanent. I wanted to honour that by creating space for people in happiness, sorrow, celebration and even grief to come together during the holidays.”

Yeh is presenting “Timeless” some two years to the day since she headlined her first Peterborough concert at The Theatre On King, having moved to East City just six months prior. During the time since, she has firmly and rightly established herself on the city and regional live music landscape as a gifted violinist who has much to share with more surely to come.

Tickets to the 7:30 p.m. concert cost $40 for assigned regular seating or $60 for assigned cabaret table seating, and are available at tickets.markethall.org.

Ticket holders can also access exclusive downtown pre-show specials at Amandala’s Restaurant (705-749-9090) and The Boardwalk Board Game Lounge (705-742-7529) in downtown Peterborough.

Advertisement - content continues below

 

 

Encore

  • If you’re wrestling with what to pick up as that perfect Christmas stocking stuffer, Peterborough Musicfest’s ever-popular Diner’s Book is a great option. Featuring money-saving deals at 80 restaurants, pubs and food providers in Peterborough and across the region including Northumberland, the $30 book has a value of $1,000. If you use it once or twice over the course of 2025, it will have paid for itself. Better yet, by purchasing a book or two, you’re supporting the continued provision of free music concerts at Del Crary Park each summer. You can purchase the Diner’s Book at www.ptbomusicfest.ca/shop or stop by the customer service kiosk at Lansdowne Place.
  • As this is my final encoreNOW of 2024, I want to wish you and yours all the best of the holiday season. In fact, I’ll even go as far as to wish you what my folks taught me to wish family and friends years ago — Merry Christmas. As we look to 2025, I hope you, like myself, will look for and follow-up on what’s sure to be numerous opportunities to support the many musicians, actors, artists, filmmakers, dancers, and other creative presenters in our midst. If the recent near-miss regarding the reduction in grants provided to Peterborough arts organizations taught us anything, it was we needed a reminder of just how much the arts has added, and continues to add, to the quality of our collective lives in Peterborough and the region.

 

encoreNOW is taking a break for the holidays and will return in the new year..

Freezing rain warning in effect for southern Kawarthas region late Monday morning into the evening

Environment Canada has issued a freezing rain warning for the southern Kawarthas region beginning late Monday morning (December 9), along with a special weather statement for freezing rain or freezing drizzle for much of the northern region.

The freezing rain warning is in effect for southern Peterborough County, southern Kawartha Lakes, and Northumberland County. The special weather statement for freezing rain or freezing drizzle is in effect for northern Peterborough County, northern Kawartha Lakes, and Hastings Highlands.

A low pressure system is approaching southern Ontario and will bring a mixture of precipitation to the region beginning Monday. A brief period of freezing rain is expected that may lead to ice build-up on some surfaces.

Advertisement - content continues below

 

 

In the southern areas of the region, precipitation should begin as freezing rain or snow late Monday morning or early Monday afternoon, before tapering off to scattered flurries, drizzle, or freezing drizzle on Monday evening.

Areas near Lake Ontario may receive mostly rain instead of freezing rain.

There is a potential for freezing drizzle through Monday evening and overnight as temperatures are expected to remain near the freezing mark, leading to further ice build-up on surfaces.

Advertisement - content continues below

 

 

In the northern areas of the region, precipitation should begin as snow with a few centimetres of snowfall accumulation possible by Monday afternoon. Snow is expected to become mixed with, or change to, freezing rain later on Monday afternoon before tapering to scattered flurries, drizzle, or freezing drizzle by Monday evening.

As temperatures are expected to remain near the freezing mark, there is a potential for freezing drizzle through the evening and overnight hours before ending early Tuesday morning.

Surfaces such as highways, roads, walkways and parking lots may become icy and slippery. Take extra care when walking or driving in affected areas.

Parents fundraising to secure a safe and supportive home for their adult daughters with special needs

Our Daughters' Home was formed in 2023 by a group of parents seeking to secure a safe and supporting living environment for their seven adult daughters with developmental disabilities. The group is working in partnership with Habitat For Humanity Peterborough & Kawartha Region to have a duplex built in Peterborough's East City and has launched a fundraising campaign towards the $1-million cost of the home. (Photo courtesy of Our Daughters' Home)

Everyone wants a place to call home, and a group of parents who have adult daughters with special needs is fundraising in hopes of unlocking the door to a future for their aging children.

Peterborough resident Jane Bischoff, founder and chairperson of Our Daughters’ Home, has banded together with others who have the common goal of purchasing a home that their seven daughters can make their own.

But they need the community’s support to help make it happen. This holiday season, Our Daughters’ Home is inviting the community to help create a safe and supportive future for women with developmental disabilities by donating to the cause.

Advertisement - content continues below

 

 

In partnership with Habitat For Humanity Peterborough & Kawartha Region, Our Daughters’ Home is appealing for support as it is working to fund a duplex to be built in Peterborough’s East City, scheduled for completion in December 2025.

“Our hope for the campaign is to reduce the mortgage for the girls,” Bischoff told kawarthaNOW. “The home will cost approximately $1 million to build and we’d like to try and raise as much money as we can towards that purchase price. We don’t want to leave our daughters with a huge mortgage when we are gone.”

Our Daughters’ Home was formed in July 2023 by a group of parents and the non-profit organization is dedicated to building permanent, inclusive housing for their seven adult daughters, who are currently either living at home with their parents or in group homes.

Peterborough resident Jane Bischoff is the founder and chairperson of the parent-led organization Our Daughters' Home, comprised of parents looking to provide a safe and supportive living environment for their adult daughters living with a development disability, including Jane's own daughter Jenny who lives with moderate autism. (Photo courtesy of Jane Bischoff)
Peterborough resident Jane Bischoff is the founder and chairperson of the parent-led organization Our Daughters’ Home, comprised of parents looking to provide a safe and supportive living environment for their adult daughters living with a development disability, including Jane’s own daughter Jenny who lives with moderate autism. (Photo courtesy of Jane Bischoff)

“Our daughters are aging, and so are we,” Bischoff said in a media release. “There are no appropriate public housing options for them, so we’re taking action to ensure their futures are secure. This is more than a home — it’s about giving them safety, independence, and a chance to thrive.”

Once the duplex is built and the seven girls have moved in, the parents envision them living there happily with 24/7 staff. Some women have higher needs than others, Bischoff noted. Her own daughter Jenny is diagnosed with moderate autism.

“My vision is for my daughter to always be social because she loves to interact with people,” Bischoff said. “If I keeled over the day after she moved in, I could rest assured that Jenny would be taken care of for the rest of her life, without worrying about relatives stepping up to the plate.”

Advertisement - content continues below

 

 

Bischoff, a 67-year-old nutritionist, hopes to still be actively involved with Jenny when the move is completed. She expects she would still like to take her daughter out maybe weekly, whatever works best for them.

“As for the rest of the girls in Ontario whose parents are in the same boat as I am, I would like to provide a template or contact network of some sort so that no parent ever has to worry about what will happen to their daughter as they get older,” Bischoff said.

“It’s a terrible feeling to think that you have nowhere to turn to. Someone told me the wait time to get into a mixed group home is 20 to 30 years. We don’t have time for that.”

If the families behind Our Daughters' Home are successful with the support of Habitat For Humanity Peterborough & Kawartha Region, their adult daughters Michelle, Leah, Jenny, Brianna, Helena, Krista, and Erin will be living in their own safe and supporting living environment in 2026, giving peace of mind to their aging parents. (Photo courtesy of Our Daughters' Home)
If the families behind Our Daughters’ Home are successful with the support of Habitat For Humanity Peterborough & Kawartha Region, their adult daughters Michelle, Leah, Jenny, Brianna, Helena, Krista, and Erin will be living in their own safe and supporting living environment in 2026, giving peace of mind to their aging parents. (Photo courtesy of Our Daughters’ Home)

The need for a safe and supportive living environment for the seven women is urgent, according to Our Daughters’ Home.

Women with developmental disabilities are at least five times more likely to experience sexual assault than those without disabilities. Those living in mixed-group or institutionalized settings face even greater risks, often at the hands of caregivers or others in positions of trust.

“These statistics highlight the critical importance of creating safe, community-integrated housing like Our Daughters’ Home, where residents are protected and supported,” the group said.

Advertisement - content continues below

 

 

To make a donation and receive a tax receipt, visit habitatpeterborough.ca/donate/ and designate the gift to go to the “Our Daughters’ Home” fund.

If a tax receipt isn’t required, e-transfers can be directly sent to Our Daughters’ Home at ourdaughtershome@gmail.com.

Once their vision comes to life, Bischoff said, “I’m sure all the parents will be there (at their daughters’ new home) on a regular basis, and there will be guilt for a while at having done this. But it will be peace of mind for myself, for Jenny, and the rest of my family. This is the legacy that I hope to leave.”

For more information about Our Daughters’ Home, visit www.ourdaughtershome.ca.

Know Your Locals: Start feeling like yourself again in 2025 with Jodi-Lee Nutrition & Wellness

Jodi Forestell became a holistic nutritionist after struggling with feeling like herself in her mid-forties and finding healing through holistic practices. Now through Jodi-Lee Nutrition & Wellness, she helps clients who are struggling with mental health, weight loss, hormonal imbalances, low energy, and inflammation feel like themselves again by focusing on nutrition as the foundation to the four pillars of health. Forestell is giving clients the chance to think about their New Year's resolutions by offering $100 off her Metabolic Balance Program until December 31, 2024. (Photo courtesy of Jodi-Lee Nutrition & Wellness)

Is eating better, getting more sleep, or getting more exercise on your list of 2025 New Year’s resolutions? If so, you are in luck, as Jodi-Lee Nutrition & Wellness is offering a “buy now, use later” sale which will not only have you eating and looking better, but will have you feeling like yourself again.

When Buckhorn resident Jodi Forestell started feeling foggy, unwell, and anxious in her mid-forties, she didn’t like the thought of immediately and indefinitely being put on medications. So she looked for other, holistic solutions and eventually found healing on her own. From there, she became a Natural Nutritionist Clinical Practitioner, Metabolic Balance Coach, and Forest Therapy Guide on top of being a personal trainer and fitness instructor.

In her online practice, Forestell helps clients use the four pillars of health, beginning with a focus on nutrition as the foundation of wellness followed by strategies and tools for managing stress, exercising, and sleeping. While many of her clients who aim to lose weight are often eager to go to the gym or elevate their fitness routine, Forestell says this does not have long-lasting effects because they first need to find balance in the food they’re consuming.

“People often think they have to lose weight to get healthy, but we need to flip that mindset to getting healthy first,” she points out. “That will turn into losing weight.”

VIDEO: What is Metabolic Balance? Presented by Jodi Forestell, CHN, NNCP

That’s why a personalized nutrition plan is at the heart of the program. Designed for anyone struggling with fatigue, inflammation, low energy, difficulty losing weight, hormonal imbalance, and feeling unlike themselves, the six-month program promotes sustainable results through strategies, customizations, supports, tools, and accountability that can be carried throughout the rest of your life.

At the beginning of the programs, clients have a blood test and, based on the test results and their goals, Forestell will give them a personalized food list that is unique to them along with eight “rules” for how to use it, advising them how to incorporate changes to sleep, exercise, and stress management into their lifestyle for long-lasting success. She will also provide clients with a bioimpedance scale, that is theirs to keep, to be used with weekly check-ins to keep them accountable and on track.

If you’d like to start feeling like yourself again in the new year, Jodi-Lee Nutrition & Wellness is offering $100 off the Metabolic Balance Program when purchased before Tuesday, December 31st. Program start dates will be in January 2025 and flexible to the client’s needs.

For more information about the Metabolic Balance Program, visit www.jodileenutrition.ca or follow Jodi-Lee Nutrition & Wellness on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn. To book a consultation, email Forestell at hello@jodileenutrition.ca.

 

Know Your Locals™ is a branded editorial feature about locally owned independent businesses and locally operated organizations, and supported by them. If your business or organization is interested in being featured in a future “Know Your Locals” branded editorial, contact Jeannine Taylor at 705-742-6404 or jt@kawarthanow.com or visit our Advertise with kawarthaNOW page.

Kawartha Food Share’s ‘Loonies on the Street’ fundraiser returns for 24th year on December 13

Even The Grinch will be volunteering during 'Loonies on the Street' on December 13, 2024 just outside of Peterborough Square at the corner of George and Simcoe Streets in downtown Peterborough. The 24th annual fundraiser to help keep the shelves stocked at Kawartha Food Share aims to raise at least $100,000 that will help feed over 14,000 people each month in the Peterborough area. (Photo: Kawartha Food Share)

The annual ‘Loonies on the Street’ fundraiser returns for its 24th year on Friday (December 13) from 7 to 10 a.m. just outside of Peterborough Square at the corner of George and Simcoe Streets in downtown Peterborough, aiming to raise $100,000 for Kawartha Food Share.

As FREQ 90.5 and OLDIES 96.7 broadcast the event live, a “bucket brigade” of volunteers will be collecting loose change up and down George Street, with volunteers from the Peterborough Lions Club doing the same on the Hunter Street Bridge.

Over the past 23 years, the event has brought in more than $2.2 million in monetary donations for Kawartha Food Share, including $170,000 last year.

Advertisement - content continues below

 

 

“The last few years have been difficult for so many, our member agencies and clients included,” says Kawartha Food Share general manager Ashlee Aitken.

“We are counting on the support of our community to once again help us ensure our shelves remain well stocked at our 37 member agencies who are currently feeding over 14,000 clients each month in Peterborough and county.”

Due to the postal strike, Kawartha Food Share’s donation letters have not been delivered, and the organization is encouraging those unable to donate during the event to visit the Kawartha Food Share warehouse at 665 Neal Drive before December 13 (anytime between 9 and 4 p.m. Monday to Thursday) to make a monetary donation, or to donate online at canadahelps.org/en/pages/3-loonies-on-the-street/.

Advertisement - content continues below

 

 

Kawartha Food Share is a central collection and distribution warehouse that partners with 37 member agency food banks, food cupboards, and other food action programs in the City and County of Peterborough.

More than 35 per cent of the 14,000 people Kawartha Food Share feeds every month are children, with the non-profit organization also providing nutritious snacks for 51 area school breakfast programs helping over 17,000 children get a healthy start to their school day.

Kawartha Food Share also provides outreach to those living with food insecurity by partnering with community meal programs, including those provided by Brock Mission, One City, Salvation Army Peterborough, and more.

Those are cannot attend the 'Loonies on the Street' fundraiser on December 13, 2024 are encouraged to drop off monetary donations at the Kawartha Food Share warehouse or to donate online. (Graphic: Kawartha Food Share)
Those are cannot attend the ‘Loonies on the Street’ fundraiser on December 13, 2024 are encouraged to drop off monetary donations at the Kawartha Food Share warehouse or to donate online. (Graphic: Kawartha Food Share)

Concert will raise funds for Kawartha Youth Orchestra’s subsidized music program for area children and youth

Young musicians in the Kawartha Youth Orchestra's Upbeat! after-school program will perform a "Carol of the Bells" recital on December 12, 2024 at All Saints Anglican Church in Peterborough. Admission is by donation, with proceeds supporting the fully subsidized program for children and youth aged eight to 14 who face barriers to music education. (Photo: Kawartha Youth Orchestra / Facebook)

Students who typically wouldn’t have access to an instrument will bring the sound of music to their family, friends, and community members in Peterborough this holiday season.

For several years, the Kawartha Youth Orchestra (KYO) has been offering free musical experiences for children and youth through its Upbeat! program. Young musicians in the program will bring their talents to the stage at their “Carol of the Bells” recital at 6 p.m. on Thursday (December 12) in Peterborough.

Concert-goers can make a donation of any amount at the door to support this program, and “help keep music affordable, and make a difference in the lives of Peterborough’s youth,” said Samantha Haggstrom, KYO administrative assistant and Upbeat! program coordinator.

Advertisement - content continues below

 

 

KYO needs continued support from the community members to help the non-profit charitable organization keep the program alive for Peterborough children and youth. While Upbeat! was initially supported by an Ontario Trillium Foundation grant, that grant ended in June.

“The program has been sustained so far this year by the support of some personal donors, and a couple of smaller grants, particularly through the Community Foundation of Greater Peterborough,” Haggstrom told kawarthaNOW.

“We are still in the process of raising more much-needed funds in order to keep the program running through the rest of this year and (in) the years to come.”

Advertisement - content continues below

 

 

Upbeat! is a subsidized after-school music program for children and youth aged eight to 14 who face barriers to music education. Participants learn to play violin, viola, and cello in a fun, ensemble-based program. Kids also get to learn music theory, and experience a wide range of musical genres with guest performances. A nutrition program addresses food insecurity by providing children with a healthy nutritious meal.

“Upbeat! helps students not only learn music but find a sense of belonging and community in a safe and exciting environment,” a media release noted.

Last year “Stay Upbeat!” was launched — a campaign to raise funds to ensure Upbeat! continues to run for years to come.

Advertisement - content continues below

 

 

“It’s such a joy to see our Upbeat! musicians’ excitement about their musical achievements as the concert draws near,” said program manager Colin McMahon in the release. “They’ve all worked so hard at their instruments this year and it shows — December 12 is going to be Upbeat’s greatest concert yet.”

Admission is by donation at the door, with proceeds supporting the program.

“The hopes for the event are two-fold,” Haggstrom said. “One, we want our Upbeat! students to have the experience of playing for their family, friends, peers, and community members. Two, we hope to raise more funds for the Stay Upbeat! campaign to help continue to fund the program.”

The Upbeat! concert is KYO’s second offering of the season, with the KYO marking 200 years since the release of Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony during its “Ode to Joy” holiday concert at 6 p.m. on Sunday (December 8). Admission is also by donation at the door, with proceeds supporting the KYO.

Advertisement - content continues below

 

 

According to the release, “KYO’s December concerts are always a fun time with a variety of wonderful music, and this year will be no exception, with performances by all of the youth orchestras and ensembles that are a part of the organization.”

The Ode to Joy concert also features the first performance with KYO’s new lead conductor, Murray Lefebvre, an experienced musician and conductor.

The December 8 and 12 concerts both take place at All Saints Anglican Church at 235 Rubidge Street in Peterborough.

Winter weather travel advisory in effect for Peterborough and Kawarthas region

Environment Canada has issued a winter weather travel advisory for the entire Kawarthas region beginning Saturday afternoon (December 7).

The winter weather travel advisory is in effect for Peterborough County, Kawartha Lakes, Haliburton County, Northumberland County, and Hastings Highlands.

Snow will progress southeastward through the afternoon, before tapering off from west to east late Saturday night or Sunday morning.

Advertisement - content continues below

 

 

Total accumulations of 10 to 15 cm of snow are expected.

Motorists should expect hazardous winter driving conditions and adjust travel plans accordingly.

Be prepared to adjust your driving with changing road conditions. Slow down driving in slippery conditions. Watch for taillights ahead and maintain a safe following distance.

Peterborough police to provide update on macabre 36-year-old cold case

Peterborough Police Service headquarters on Water Street in downtown Peterborough. (Photo: Pat Trudeau)

Peterborough police will soon be providing information about a macabre cold case from 36 years ago involving a victim only known as “The Otonabee River Man.”

On July 10, 1988, members of a recreational dive club who were diving in the Otonabee River near Lock and McKellar streets made a gruesome discovery: a disembodied human head. The divers found the human head on the river bottom around 130 feet from shore.

Although the discovery was followed by an extensive air and underwater search by police, the rest of the victim’s body was never recovered.

Advertisement - content continues below

 

 

Because of evidence that the head had been dismembered, police concluded the victim was murdered.

However, they were unable to identify the victim, and it was unknown when or where the victim was killed or how long his head had been in the river before it was found.

The man was believed to be between 40 and 74 years old. He was missing some lower molars from well before his death, and there was no evidence of dental care. He had staining on his remaining teeth that indicated he was a smoker. He may have been bald or partially bald at the time of his death, and possibly had a beard because of a small amount of facial hair. His hair and beard may have been dark coloured.

Advertisement - content continues below

 

 

Because there were no reports of missing men in Peterborough at the time the remains were found, police suspect the head may have been brought to the area from elsewhere.

Peterborough police will be holding a media conference at the Water street police station on Wednesday morning (December 11) to provide what they call “a significant update” about the case.

Since a DNA profile has been on file with the Ontario Forensic Pathology Service, it’s possible police will announce the victim has finally been identified. However, they have provided no details about the nature of the announcement.

OPP relief funding reduces Kawartha Lakes 2025 property tax hike from 6.7% to 6.2%

The Kawartha Lakes detachment of the Ontario Provincial Police is located at 3028 Highway 35 in the City of Kawartha Lakes. (Photo: Aquicon)

City of Kawartha Lakes residents can expect a slightly smaller property tax hike in 2025, thanks to funding from the Ontario government for provincial policing services.

The province has provided the municipality with $1.4 million in relief funding for services provided by the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP).

During a special council meeting on November 26, Kawartha Lakes city council adopted Mayor Doug Elmslie’s 2025 budget, which included a tax increase of 6.7 per cent. As a result of the provincial relief funding, the property tax hike will be reduced to 6.2 per cent.

Advertisement - content continues below

 

 

On November 29, the province announced it would be providing over $77 million in financial relief to municipalities to help offset the increased cost of police services provided by the OPP.

The funding is intended to help the 330 predominantly small and rural communities that use OPP services to address budget impacts resulting from the collective bargaining agreement reached between the province and the Ontario Provincial Police Association in July 2024.

Kawartha Lakes has two police services, with the Kawartha Lakes Police Service serving residents of Lindsay and Ops and the Kawartha Lakes OPP serving all other communities in the municipality. Combined city-wide policing costs in the 2025 budget are $21.7 million, an increase of $3.3 million over 2024.

Advertisement - content continues below

 

 

Before the province’s relief funding, Kawartha Lakes would have been billed $9,925,440 for OPP policing services. Combined with the budget for the Kawartha Lakes Police Service, this represented a tax increase of 2.2 per cent.

With an estimated $1,413,283 in financial relief, the new total for OPP services being billed to the municipality in 2025 is $8,512,157, with the combined total tax increase decreasing to 1.7 per cent.

Of the $1.4 million in provincial relief funding, the municipality will return $400,000 to its OPP area rate stabilization reserve for future years, as the relief funding may not be available from the province in 2026.

Become a #kawarthaNOW fan

30,406FollowersLike
25,232FollowersFollow
17,705FollowersFollow
4,416FollowersFollow
3,569FollowersFollow
3,010FollowersFollow

Sign up for kawarthNOW's Enews

Sign up for our VIP Enews

kawarthaNOW.com offers two enews options to help readers stay in the know. Our VIP enews is delivered weekly every Wednesday morning and includes exclusive giveaways, and our news digest is delivered daily every morning. You can subscribe to one or both.




Submit your event for FREE!

Use our event submission form to post your event on our website — for free. To submit editorial content or ideas, please contact us.