A man is dead after his vehicle was struck by a train in Alnwick-Haldimand Township south of Grafton early Monday morning (September 9).
At around 12:50 a.m., the Northumberland Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) received a call from CN police regarding a collision that had occurred on Station Road involving a passenger vehicle and a train.
Emergency medical services and the Township of Alnwick-Haldimand Fire Department also responded to the collision.
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The sole occupant of the passenger vehicle, an adult man, was pronounced dead at the scene. Police have not released any information about the man’s identity.
Both Station Road and the railway line at the location of the collision were closed while the OPP conducted an investigation until around 6 a.m., followed by a CN police investigation until 12 p.m., when the railway line was reopened.
The police investigation is continuing with assistance from the Northumberland OPP Crime Unit.
Recharge Solutions owner Gail Moorhouse has decades of experience as both a board member and executive director of non-profit organizations. At her consulting practice, Moorhouse helps small non-profit organizations become more efficient by providing consultations and workshops focused on governance and strategy. (Photo courtesy of Recharge Solutions)
Having been on both sides of the boardroom table for many years, Gail Moorhouse understands all too well the unique challenges faced by the boards of non-profit organizations. Today, through her business Recharge Solutions, she uses that experience to help other non-profits in the community become more efficient in the work they do.
Founded in 2022, Recharge Solutions delivers workshops and consulting for small non-profit organizations, specializing in governance and strategy. Working with executive directors or board members themselves, Moorhouse helps clients identify where the needs are within their organization and formulates strategies to address those needs.
As a designated professional director and the former executive director of non-profit economic development organization Community Futures Peterborough, Moorhouse understands the critical function of board members of non-profit organizations. She works with clients to ensure each individual on a board knows their role and responsibilities, and that the organization has a recruitment plan and policies for finding those most suitable for the positions.
“You need diversity of thought and you need a really well-rounded board of skillsets,” Moorhouse says. “We are really focusing on looking at what is the ideal board composition and what areas may be lacking.”
Recharge Solutions owner Gail Moorhouse regularly leads workshops on ensuring proper governance and strategic success. She is hosting a workshop about writing successful grant applications on September 20, 2024, and a virtual workshop for director onboarding on September 25. (Photo courtesy of Recharge Solutions)
When it comes to strategic planning, Moorhouse recognizes that it’s not enough for an organization to map out their goals and visions and how to get there — they also need to establish a framework for making sure it gets done.
“A strong implementation plan ensures the strategic document does not sit on a shelf, but becomes a working document with measurements and accountability that has a focus on advancing their core mission and achieving sustainable growth,” she explains. “If you don’t measure it, it never gets done.”
Moorhouse regularly leads workshops on ensuring proper governance and strategic success. Coming up, Moorhouse is hosting a “Mastering the Art of a Successful Grant Application” workshop at the Peterborough and the Kawarthas Chamber of Commerce’s boardroom from 9 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. on Friday, September 20.
She is also hosting a virtual “New Director Onboarding” workshop on Wednesday, September 25 from 4 to 6 p.m. on financial literacy, conflict management, decision making, and more. While the workshop is aimed at those who are new in their leadership roles, she assures “even seasoned leaders will learn something new.”
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.
Sounds of the Next Generation (SONG) is a free socially inclusive after-school music program for children and youth in Northumberland County with a focus on social development through the pursuit of musical excellence. Students sing in choir and play in a strings ensemble up to four times a week, with all instruments, music, uniforms, and healthy snacks provided for free. (Photo: SONG / Facebook)
In what’s anticipated to be an “epic” and engaging show, Sounds of the Next Generation (SONG) is hosting an upcoming concert in Northumberland County to fundraise for children’s music programs.
Second show added
A second 2 p.m. matinee Choir! Choir! Choir! show, “An Epic ’80s Sing-Along”, has been added.
Kawartha Metals is sponsoring Choir! Choir! Choir! at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, November 2 at the Capitol Theatre in Port Hope. The sing-along concert is the fourth annual main event that features a well-known act performing before a Northumberland crowd to benefit SONG, which is a not-for-profit organization that offers children access to free music education.
Led by Toronto’s Daveed Goldman and Nobu Adilman, Choir! Choir! Choir! is a fully interactive show that turns the audience into performers who sing “epic anthems” such as Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah” and more. After providing audience members with lyric sheets, Goldman and Adilman lead a rehearsal of the various harmonies and then, with Goldman on guitar and Adilman conducting, the entire audience raises their collective voices to perform the rehearsed song.
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“SONG is thrilled to announce the return of the annual headliner concert in support of our free programming for kids and youth in Northumberland,” said Miles Bowman, executive director of SONG, in a note to media.
Bowman told kawarthaNOW the best thing that could happen would be for SONG to sell enough tickets to offer a second show of music-making with Choir! Choir! Choir!, “or, alternatively, we would allow the community to feel what SONG students feel every practice when then connect with each other through collective music-making.”
“There really is no feeling quite like it.”
Sponsored by Kawartha Metals, Sounds of the Next Generation (SONG) is hosting its fourth annual benefit show with two Choir! Choir! Choir! performances on November 2, 2024 to raise funds for the not-for-profit organization that offers children access to free music education. (Graphic: SONG)
SONG uses music “as functional art,” Bowman explained. “It is the best and most affordable tool to help kids (and adults) do and feel better. Among other things, evidence shows that exposure to music leads to healthy brain development.”
“Students in music have more and more diverse connections in their brain, they show higher achievement and, we think most importantly, show better emotional regulation. In a world where we seem to find more and more reason to disconnect from each other and ourselves, SONG’s use of music helps young people regulate themselves and connect with their peers and their community.”
In March, SONG received the 2024 not-for-profit sector award for “Northumberland’s Best Not-for-Profit” from the Northumberland Central Chamber of Commerce at its 26th annual business excellence awards.
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During SONG’s 11th and most successful season to date, the organization brought music into the community in “unprecedented ways,” the chamber noted.
The charity reached more than 7,500 audience members and involved 350-plus children and youth in local music activities, contributing to cultural enrichment through more than 35 public performances.
“This year our programming is moving to the Port Hope High School for a centralized experience,” Bowman said. “This will allow students to easily access our after-school programming in a safe space for free. We are able to open the doors to any student because the community helps prioritize music making for all Northumberland students.”
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SONG is also able to pay working artists to be the students’ instructors.
“Our instructors are professional musicians with advanced degrees and the funds we raise means students not only get free music education, but high-quality free music education,” Bowman noted.
Registration for the 2024-25 season is now open. All classes will take place at Port Hope High School, which is located 130 Highland Dr. For more information about registration, volunteering, and music programming, visit SONG’s website at songprogram.org.
Tickets for either Choir! Choir! Choir! benefit concert are $65 for adults or $45 for students, and are available in person at the Capitol Theatre’s box office at 20 Queen St. in Port Hope, by phone at 905-885-1071 or online at capitoltheatre.com.
Peterborough music scholar and musician Al Kirby pictured in 2013 when bluegrass band SweetGrass performed at Lang Pioneer Village Museum in Keene. (Photo: SweetGrass / Facebook)
Trent Valley Archives has unveiled a new three-session music series called “Fireside Chats” featuring noted Peterborough music scholar and musician Al Kirby and friends. The series, which runs over three Tuesday evenings in September and October, will focus on the folk songs of rural Ontario and related stories.
Kirby, who has over 60 years of experience teaching, composing, and playing music, has a PhD in Canadian studies from Carleton University where his research focus was rural Ontario traditional music.
In addition to performing pedal-steel guitar with country-rock bands Matchbox and Bandanna, and banjo with bluegrass bands McCormick, Solina Road, and SweetGrass, as well as the folk-jazz ensemble Nassau Mills, Kirby co-wrote and produced Fowke Tales, a musical-drama about the scholarly search by Canadian folklorist Edith Fowke for rural Ontario folk songs.
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Most recently, Kirby appeared in the documentary Woods Music, which traces the history of Irish songs in Canada by exploring the songs, singers, and tunes of the lumberjacks and how they formed a unique style and repertoire from their Irish heritage and new Canadian identity.
In the documentary’s second episode, entitled “The Lumberjack’s Alphabet,” Kirby speaks with host Daithí Sproule (an Irish traditional singer and song collector) about the immigration story of Peter Robinson, the 19th-century Upper Canada politician who helped the settlement of more than 2,000 Irish Catholics to Upper Canada in 1825, and how Fowke recorded Irish folk songs at P. G. Towns’ General Store in Douro in the 1950s.
Both episodes of Woods Music are available for streaming on CBC Gem.
Peterborough music scholar and musician Al Kirby (right) performing with Irish traditional singer and song collector Daithí Sproule, host of the “Woods Music” documentary about the history of Irish songs in Canada, currently streaming on CBC Gem. (kawarthaNOW screenshot)
The first session of “Fireside Chats” on September 24 will focus on academic song-collecting in the Trent Valley, with Kirby relating the stories behind the folk songs collected by Fowke and fellow scholars Maude Kapeles and Niles Puckett. Singers Rob Cory and Rob Niezen will present samples of the 200-year-old historic songs discovered in the local area.
The second session on October 8 will focus on documentary filmmaking capturing the history of rural Ontario. Filmmaker Nick van der Graaf, whose documentary short The Backwoodsman — which follows the history of the folk song of the same name — is scheduled for release in December, will speak about his methodology, with Kirby and Cory providing musical accompaniment.
The final session on October 22 will relate stories and songs about the murder and mayhem found in rural Ontario in the 19th century, with musical accompaniment provided by Cory, Niezen, and Kirby.
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Each session begins at 7:15 p.m. at Trent Valley Archives at 567 Carnegie Avenue in Peterborough.
Tickets cost $20 per session and must be purchased in advance.
Tickets will be available on the Trent Valley Archives website at trentvalleyarchives.com or by calling 705-745-4404.
CBC's popular mystery drama series "Murdoch Mysteries" stars Yannick Bisson (left) as William Murdoch, a police detective working in Toronto in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. (Photo: Shaftesbury Inc.)
The production company for Murdoch Mysteries will be back in Cobourg from September 10 to 12 to film scenes for the 18th season of the popular mystery drama series. Crews will arrive early Tuesday morning to set up, with filming taking place all day on Wednesday and Thursday.
Murdoch Mysteries stars Yannick Bisson as William Murdoch, a police detective working in Toronto in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The series is based on characters from the Detective Murdoch novels by British-Canadian writer Maureen Jennings and has a devoted international fan base.
Cobourg has been a popular location for filming of scenes for previous seasons of Murdoch Mysteries, especially Victoria Hall, which was built in the mid-19th century.
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On Wednesday, filming will happen outside of Victoria Hall and at 25 King Street West (in front of Lalies & The Dutch) and, on Thursday, at 92 King Street West (Grandma’s Kitchen), at Victoria Park, and at 181 Perry Street. Filming on both days takes place from 7:30 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.
From 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. Tuesday to Thursday, various downtown parking lots will be used for production vehicles and film equipment, including the north end of the Second Street Parking Lot, the Albert Street Parking Lot, and the north end of the Trinity Church Parking Lot. The Marina Parking Lot will be used from 6 to 10 p.m. Tuesday to Thursday, and the Centennial Pool Lot will be used from 7:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday.
In addition, the production company has paid for various on-street parking spots on September 11 and 12 to place period vehicles for filming as well as filming equipment. The spots are located on Church, Petty, Queen, McGill, and Charles streets, as well as on the north side of King Street between Spring and George streets and Hibernia and Third streets.
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Cobourg police will supervise intermittent traffic stoppages throughout the day Wednesday on Third Street, Second Street, and King Street West and Thursday on King Street West, McGill Street, College Street, Church Street, and Queen Street.
In addition, the audible crosswalk at King Street and Third Street will be turned off during filming hours on Wednesday and Thursday, with a paid duty officer on site to ensure safe road crossings for people who rely on the audible crosswalk.
Season 18 of Murdoch Mysteries premieres on Monday, September 30th on CBC Gem and Monday, October 7th at on CBC TV. For the first time in the history of the series, each episode of the 18th season will be available to stream for free on CBC Gem one week before it airs in its regular television time slot.
Peterborough Police Service headquarters on Water Street in downtown Peterborough. (Photo: Pat Trudeau)
A Peterborough police officer is facing charges of breach of trust and possession of stolen property.
The Peterborough Police Service announced on Saturday (September 7) that investigators working out of the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) criminal investigation branch at its general headquarters in Orillia had arrested the officer on Saturday.
A member of the Peterborough Police Service for seven years, the officer has been charged with two counts of breach of trust and possession of stolen property obtained by crime over $5,000.
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The accused officer, who has been suspended with pay, has been released on an undertaking and is scheduled to appear in court in Peterborough on October 8.
Peterborough police did not release the name of the officer “so as not to interfere with the criminal investigation” according to a media release, which notes the OPP’s investigation is ongoing and the case is before the court.
However, in a subsequent media release from the OPP, the accused officer was identified as Mackenzie Rogers, 27, of Peterborough.
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In a statement, Peterborough police chief Stuart Betts said “this is difficult and disappointing news to have to share with the community.”
“I also recognize that this is an extremely difficult day for everyone in our organization, and for the community to learn that someone in a position of trust has been arrested and charged criminally,” he added.
“I want the public to know that these types of situations are taken seriously and that at this time the officer has been suspended with pay in accordance with the provisions of the Community Safety and Policing Act,” the chief said. “As this moves through the court process, that status may be re-evaluated.”
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After noting Rogers “has not been convicted of the alleged crimes,” Chief Betts said “I am committed to ensuring the well-being of all of our members and will have programs in place to assist as needed.”
The Peterborough Police Service, which provided no details of the accusations against Rogers, said it would provide “no further comment at this time.”
Anyone with information in relation to the investigation is encouraged to contact the OPP at 1-888-310-1122 or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477) or ontariocrimestoppers.ca.
This story has been updated with the name of the accused officer as released by the OPP and with contact information for the OPP.
Venture13, Northumberland County's Innovation and Entrepreneurship Centre, was launched in 2018. Facilities include the VentureZone Co-working Space, the Venture13 MakeLab, as well as the offices of anchor organizations making up the V13 Board of Partners. (Photo: Venture13 / Facebook)
The Town of Cobourg is offering a series of workshops, sessions, and seminars this fall that aim to address a variety of challenges in the current workforce, including the need for skilled tradespeople.
“Aspiring entrepreneurs, seasoned business professionals, and anyone seeking to elevate their business will benefit from the following series, curated to equip participants with the tools they need to succeed in today’s rapidly evolving business landscape,” according to a media release.
Hosted by industry professionals and thought leaders, sessions will take place at the Venture13 Innovation and Entrepreneurship Centre (V13) at 739 D’Arcy St. in Cobourg. A careers fair as well as a manufacturing conference, both supported by the Town of Cobourg, will also happen this fall at Cobourg Community Centre, located at 750 D’Arcy St. in Cobourg.
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“The economic development team has heard from local businesses owners and managers and have delivered a fall program that addresses the demand for skilled tradespeople and the pathways for entry, solutions for business successions, and business linkages to our post-secondary institutions,” Daniel Van Kampen, economic development manager, shared with kawarthaNOW.
“The Town of Cobourg’s (V13) innovation and entrepreneurship centre provides co-working and accelerator space for technology start-ups and local entrepreneurs. Inside our doors you will find a network of advisors, mentors, and leaders. Through programs, training, and events offered at (V13), the Town of Cobourg and its partners hope to provide an arena to spark news ideas and develop new partnerships and collaborations to support the industries of the future.”
“V13 partners and members of the community can actively engage and find solutions to address key technical, professional, and development challenges faced by entrepreneurs, startups, and local businesses,” he added.
First up is the revenue growth series with Arnaud Raymond of Belden Canada from 8:30 to 10 a.m. on Wednesday, September 11 in the lecture hall of V13.
“The economic development team wants to hear directly from the business owners and managers how they have grown their business in Cobourg,” Van Kampen noted. “Belden Canada’s engineering manager, (Raymond) will start off this series sharing their business growth success in Cobourg.”
Raymond is a long-term member of the Cobourg business community. In 2016 he started with Belden Inc. in Cobourg where he has held several positions including interim plant manager, operations manager and engineering manager.
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Next up is the skilled trades career day on Thursday, September 12 at Cobourg Community Centre. In collaboration with the Ontario government, Level Up! Ontario, and Skilled Trades Ontario, the economic development team is hosting the 2024 Level Up! Careers Fair, a series of dynamic, multi-day career fairs touring the province that bring together the best in skilled trades professionals across industry organizations, post-secondary institutions, businesses, associations and more.
Students in grades 7 through 12 can learn about Ontario’s 140-plus trades through interactive exhibitions and hands-on activities, while hearing directly from tradespeople and local employers about career opportunities.
In collaboration with RBC Financial Group, organizers then present an economic update and business owner succession planning seminar from 8:30 to 10 a.m. on Thursday, September 26 at V13. Cobourg is the first stop in a three-community event (with sessions later in the day in Peterborough and Lindsay) that will provide an informative event for business owners, which includes an economic update that can help you navigate the near-term economic environment.
A member of RBC Financial Group’s mid-market mergers and acquisitions team will then discuss preparing for the sale of a business, followed by a conversation about tax considerations. Guest speakers include Carrie Freestone (economist with Royal Bank of Canada), Brandon Beadow (director of RBC Mid-Market Mergers and Acquisitions), and Sarah Netley (partner with Baker Tilly KDN).
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In September, Cobourg presents an instalment of the post-secondary spotlight series, which features post-secondary programs and resources that are available for local companies to leverage industry research and/or hiring.
On Friday, September 27, the series will feature Ontario Tech University’s Brilliant Catalyst program. Brilliant Catalyst’s mission is to inspire and empower the next generation of change makers by building a community of experts, entrepreneurs, advisors, and influencers to fuel innovative change.
The presenter is Connor Loughlean, program manager of the Brilliant Catalyst program. The event runs in the NSSL seminar room of V13. Attendees can expect to learn more about this program and how their company can tap into this program service offering.
Van Kampen also highlighted the upcoming growth and development symposium for business professionals, which is on Thursday October 3 from 8:30 to 11 a.m. in the lecture hall at V13.
“The Cobourg growth and development symposium builds on the previous year’s real estate and development industry event,” he said. “New this year, a real estate and developer panel will discuss their projects, challenges they face in the industry, and their predictions for the industry in the years ahead.”
This symposium is anticipated to be a resourceful experience for anyone who is interested in Cobourg’s development trends and projects and learning about leading urban development trends among industry professionals, the release noted.
Up next is the second instalment in the revenue growth series from 8:30 to 10 a.m. on Wednesday, October 9 at the lecture hall of V13. This seminar features Dominique Sayers of B&D Liquidation and Auction Services.
Sayers, a part owner of B&D Liquidation, grew up in Cobourg, where her parents opened the business in 1999. In late 2019, B&D Liquidation moved into a new location, expanding its product offerings. Sayers has also contributed to the growth of B&D’s social media accounts. In July, she opened a sister store called B&D Bins, which is expected to be a popular way of selling liquidation merchandise, the release noted.
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On Thursday, October 24, the Northumberland Manufacturers’ Association is presenting The Manufacturing Conference. Running from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Cobourg Community Centre, the conference features keynote speakers Ryan Smith of Peterborough-based Unearth Coaching Inc. and U.S. author and workplace strategist Jeff Butler, a panel discussion on workforce strategies with representatives from two Ontario manufacturers and two municipal economic development departments, four workshops, and a trade show.
The third instalment in the revenue growth series is from 8:30 to 10 a.m. on Monday, November 11 at V13 with Rino Ferreri of Ferreri Menswear in Cobourg. The Peterborough native saw an opportunity to grow at the age of 21 and now, 33 years later, he has three retail businesses, commercial properties, and real estate investments.
“He continues to build his brand and the community around him. He loves managing his business, creating a great experience for clients through his love of fashion, and even tailoring garments when needed,” the release noted.
In December, another instalment of the post-secondary spotlight series takes place where entrepreneurs and business professionals can learn more about how Loyalist College’s Port Hope campus can benefit their business and community. Laurie Caouette, the college’s industry partnership officer, will showcase what this campus can offer in specialized programs designed to meet local workforce demands, and providing hands-on training.
This session runs on Wednesday, December 4 from 9 to 10 a.m. in the NSSL seminar room of V13.
For more information about the fall program of business events including how to register, visit venture13.ca.
Peterborough performer, emcee, and local celebrity Linda Kash has a very busy schedule in place over the fall and winter of 2024. She will be emceeing at local fundraising events, leading beginner improv classes for children through the Peterborough Academy for Performing Arts, leading adult improv classes through klusterfork, and taking on the role of Scrooge in a two-person rendition of the classic Christmas tale. (Photo courtesy of Linda Kash)
Between leading dozens of kids in summer camps, being a special guest alongside her Girls Nite Out gal pals, taking her own art classes, and — best of all — becoming a first-time grandmother, Peterborough performer and comedian Linda Kash has been keeping busy this summer.
But if you think that means she’ll be taking time to rest up this fall, you would be mistaken. From teaching adult and children’s improv classes to emceeing for local fundraisers to taking on the role of one of the most iconic Christmas characters, she has a full schedule in the months ahead.
“I’m a nomadic person who loves the spice of life,” Kash says. “I love variety and I love changing it up all the time, with the only constant being my family. I’ll sleep in January.”
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Though she just wrapped up the summer camps at Peterborough Academy of Performing Arts (PAPA), which she founded alongside her late husband actor Paul O’Sullivan more than a decade and half ago, she will soon be returning to the classroom to lead the kids and teens improv classes. Foundational for youth with little to no experience with improv, the classes have participants engage in easy-to-learn games which aim to rid them of their nerves and get them working together.
“COVID was hard on kids socially, because now they’re a little addicted to their smartphones and iPads,” Kash explains. “This is the one time they can get up on their feet, there’s no technology and no lines or props. It’s just them, their chairs, and their scene partners. It’s all about imagination, trust, and fun.”
According to Kash, it’s not just kids who go on to become performers who will benefit — all the participants will carry the confidence and communication skills they’ve developed during the class into their future lives.
Beginning in September, Linda Kash is leading improv workshops for children of all ages through the Peterborough Academy of Performing Arts (PAPA) which she founded more than a decade and a half ago with her late husband Paul O’Sullivan. Through the class, children will engage in activities and easy-to-learn games to build confidence on the stage and develop and hone communication skills. (Photo courtesy of Linda Kash)
While it might seem scary at first, honing these skills in a class setting surrounded by peers is a more approachable and safe space to do so.
“Everyone learns at a different pace, and it doesn’t have to be fast and furious,” Kash says. “I set the bar low so that you can surprise yourself. Then the bar goes higher and higher every week, because you gain courage and you’re improvising in no time.”
The classes — there are sessions for young kids to older teens — are led by Kash and other local performers including Jennine Profeta, Mark Rostrup, and George Knechtel, as well as youth assistants who have taken the classes themselves. Classes began in September and are held at St. James United Church in Peterborough.
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Since kids can’t have all the fun, Kash will also be leading beginner improv workshops at klusterfork, the entertainment group producing live comedy shows and workshops which she started with Pat Maitland and Ian Burns in 2019. Every Sunday from September 15 to November 24, she’ll be at St. James United Church from 7 to 9 p.m. leading the improv curious through games and activities to encourage — as with the PAPA classes — confidence and fun.
“It’s such an organized party and such a social space,” Kash observes. “People really start to form a community at klusterfork. And working with the newbies is my favourite thing to do, because you see people really come out of their shell and find their voice.”
Intermediate and advanced improv workshops led by Dave Pearce, Kerry Griffin, and Janet van de Graaff are also available. Registration for all klusterfork workshops this fall can be found at www.klusterfork.com.
Linda Kash with Beth McMaster at the 2023 Legendary Icon Series fundraiser in support of the Showplace Performance Centre. Kash will also perform in McMaster’s fundraiser this year on October 22 and 23, 2024, which will include stories about and songs by Dolly Parton and Tom Jones performed by local musicians. (Photo courtesy of Linda Kash)
As she continues to spread her love of improv, Kash will also be leading by example, using those skills to host and perform for various charity events around Peterborough this fall.
One such event is “Here We Come Again,” the next show of Showplace Performance Centre’s annual Legendary Icons Series. This year, Beth McMaster will tell stories about Dolly Parton and Tom Jones while local artists will sing some of their favourites songs by the artists. Along with Kash, other guests include Rob Phillips, Kate Suhr, Bob Trennum, Wayne Robinson, Megan Murphy, and Tom Keeton.
“That is not to be missed,” says Kash. “It’s a great cast and a great time, and last year I had a gas so I know it will be great.”
The show runs at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. on Tuesday, October 22nd and at 2 p.m. Wednesday, October 23nd, and tickets are now on sale at showplace.org.
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Just a week later, Kash will be emceeing a musical fundraiser for Telecare Distress Centre of Peterborough, a free, confidential, 24/7 crisis hotline. Having taken courses with Telecare, Kash says she really believes in the organization and the importance of such a resource for many individuals.
“It was very meaningful to me,” she says. “They are funded through donations and it’s very bare bones, so a fundraiser to them means a whole lot.”
The fundraiser is taking place at the Lakefield College School on Saturday, November 2nd. More details are to come.
For the third year in a row, Linda Kash will be teaming up with Megan Murphy to emcee the Cancer Takedown fundraiser on November 7, 2024, at the Market Hall Performing Arts Centre in Peterborough. The annual event is a “spirit-raiser” of songs and community stories in support of the Peterborough Regional Health Centre. (Photo courtesy of Linda Kash)
Just days later, on Thursday, November 7th, Kash will be making a return to Market Hall Performing Arts Centre to emcee the third annual Cancer Takedown fundraiser alongside fellow Peterborough sweetheart Megan Murphy. In support of Peterborough Regional Health Centre, the “spirit-raising” fundraiser includes performances from local musicians and stories from those who have been affected by cancer. Along with Kash and Murhpy, performers include Melissa Payne, Kate Suhr, Kate Brioux, Anthony Bastianon, and Denise Oucharek.
“It’s a huge honour to bring fun to a subject matter that is so difficult,” says Kash. “Many of the people in the audience are going through a cancer experience — whether they have cancer or their family members do — so it really is this communal opportunity to get down and dirty with this thing, but also have some power, some agency, and talk about our experiences.”
Despite the subject matter and purpose of the fundraiser, Kash promises the event will be “fun” and a place to connect.
“The last thing you want is for anyone to feel alone when affected by cancer, so this is one of the most uplifting fundraisers that I do because everybody feels like we’ve got each other’s back,” she says.
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To end off the year with something extra hilarious, in December Kash will take on the ultimate holiday role, playing the part of Ebenezer Scrooge in A Christmas Carol Comedy produced by New Stages Theatre. Starring just Kash as Scrooge and Kerry Griffin as everyone else, the production is a twist on the classic Charles Dickens’ tale, and according to the New Stages website, mixes “shades of Monty Python with the Ghosts of Past, Present, and Future.”
“The story is such a part of my childhood, and it’s just imprinted on me,” Kash says. “I love the story, I love the journey, I love the characters. It’ll be really fun to do it in a two-person show with a bit of improv in it as well. But for a character this known, I want to take the opportunity to really dive into the character and find the voice so you’re not seeing Linda as Scrooge — I want you to see Scrooge.”
A Christmas Carol Comedy will be staged at Market Hall Performing Arts Centre from Wednesday, December 11 to Sunday, December 15 with both evening and matinée shows. Tickets are now on sale at markethall.org.
A few of Linda Kash’s many roles over the years: the Kraft Philadelphia Cream Cheese angel, Seinfeld, Waiting for Guffman, and Fargo. Beginning her career at Second City Toronto, she has gone on to become series regular cast member and guest star for films and television shows as well as performing on the stage. She is also a workshop facilitator, instructor, public speaker, writer, emcee, and, most recently added to her resume, a grandmother. (kawarthaNOW collage)
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If that’s not enough, all the while Kash is readying herself to take to the stage in Toronto with her brother, actor and director Daniel Kash, for the first time in close to 30 years next May.
Though she says she’s “nervous” for the show, she is already looking forward to it. If there’s one thing that’s true of Linda Kash, it’s that even if she’s bouncing between shows, classes, and other projects, her family is the one constant that she will always return to — and, with the addition of her first grandchild, that constant is only growing.
“Something I always tell my students is it’s always important to come home to what is most meaningful to you,” she says. “No matter how good this adventure is, you need the other part of your life to be solid and, for me, a grandchild is really just such a nice gift. It’s a whole new relationship and new dream.”
The Lakefield Pride Committee is hosting the fourth annual Lakefield Pride picnic on September 22, 2024. Peterborough drag performer Betty Baker, who was raised in Young's Point and went to elementary school in Lakefield, will return to perform at the picnic for the fourth year. (Photo: Christopher Coghill)
Pride will be centre stage, along with a local celebrity drag performer, at an upcoming event in Lakefield.
Lakefield Pride Committee members are getting ready for the fourth annual Lakefield Pride picnic, which includes a performance by Betty Baker, and is slated for Sunday, September 22.
The picnic runs from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Isabel Morris Park, which is located at 20 Concession St. in Lakefield.
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Organizers say this year’s picnic will feature family-friendly events with performers and artists from the Lakefield area, including Baker, who was raised in Young’s Point and went to elementary school in Lakefield.
“We are so proud to have Betty Baker back again at the Lakefield Pride picnic,” said Rebecca Rose, spokesperson for the Lakefield Pride Committee, in a media release.
“Betty has attended and performed at our event every year since we started in 2021 and we are so happy to see her back again. We are looking forward to welcoming the Lakefield community to this wonderful community event.”
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Baker, who regularly performs at Drag Queen Story Time at the Peterborough Public Library, said she has always been involved in theatre, music, and performing arts. Her call to drag came from watching RuPaul’s Drag Race at 14 years old, her first time being introduced to the art form, she earlier told kawarthaNOW.
Baker is pleased to take part in Lakefield Pride.
“Going to Lakefield Pride is like coming home again,” Baker said. “I’m honoured to be asked to return every year to perform, to see so many familiar faces, and to bring joy to the community.”
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The tentative agenda for the Lakefield Pride picnic includes a welcome and opening ceremonies at 11 a.m., a Pride march through Lakefield at 11:30 a.m., story time with Baker at 12:30 p.m., local entertainment at 1 p.m., a drag performance with Baker at 3 p.m., and closing ceremonies at 4 p.m.
Rose said the committee is looking forward to the return of food and merchandise vendors, as well as community organizations and sponsors, who will take part in this year’s festivities.
“Lakefield is a wonderful and caring community, and we welcome more vendors and sponsors to our event. It has been great to see the event grow every year.”
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The Lakefield Pride Committee is a small group of local youth and adult volunteers who help to organize the Lakefield Pride picnic in September each year.
Lakefield Pride invites local businesses, vendors and organizations interested in setting up a stall at the picnic to reach out to the committee by emailing lakefieldpride@gmail.com by September 13.
In addition, those interested in sponsorship for the Lakefield Pride picnic can contact the sponsorship chair at sponsorship@lakefieldpride.com, also by September 13. There are a variety of sponsorship opportunities and benefits available, the committee noted.
For more information about Lakefield Pride and the upcoming picnic, visit www.lakefieldpride.com.
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