If there’s ever a show that’s going to have you feeling warm and fuzzy one minute, tearing up the next, and laughing out loud the minute after that, it’s The Tiffany Show hosted by Peterborough’s Tiffany Arcari.

That depth certainly comes from the bravery of the guests who share stories about the challenging times they’ve faced, but it also takes a special kind of person to host such a welcoming environment that make people feel safe in sharing so publicly their most vulnerable moments.

Through the screen and through her community engagement, it’s evident that Arcari has a deep-rooted passion for the community she calls home.

With the recent launch of season two of The Tiffany Show (available on Cogeco YourTV Peterborough-Lindsay and through Arcari’s social channels), the self-described “idea generator,” consultant, event planner, emcee, public personality, and true Peterborough cheerleader reflects on some of the lessons she has learned and continues to learn from the show.

1. We can’t wait for perfect

VIDEO: Recap of Season 1 of “The Tiffany Show”

The Tiffany Show was a long time in the making even before Arcari was ever seated in front of the camera. One day during the pandemic lockdowns, she woke up with the vision of a show as a way to inspire and create community connection.

After constantly talking about her plans and continually generating ideas for the show, Arcari was working at the Peterborough and Kawarthas Chamber of Commerce a year later when then-president Stuart Harrison told her to stop waiting until it was perfect and just make it happen.

“I don’t know that I would have made the move (without his advice),” Arcari says, noting she went home and began filming that night. “I realized if I’m going to wait for this to be perfect, I’m never going to do it because I know that my standard of perfect is impossible to achieve. We can’t wait for perfect.”

Since starting The Tiffany Show, Arcari has thought a lot about the role of dreams and how essential it is to go after what you want, so you aren’t lying on your deathbed wishing you had — in her case — started the variety show you had been imagining for so long.

“If your dream is worth pursuing and you feel for one second that you might regret not doing it, just go ahead and do it,” she says.

“If you fail, you fail. You’ll learn something and take that to apply it to something else. Failure is not a bad thing — it’s seriously just a learning opportunity, and an opportunity to reflect inside our souls and inside our processes. It lets us be free to try things.”

2. Vulnerability breeds authenticity

Since she has always been an “entertainer” with a theatre background, Arcari could have chosen to make a talk show, variety show, or podcast about a whole range of topics or in a whole range of styles. But it didn’t take much thought for her to know exactly what The Tiffany Show was meant to be.

“One of the biggest challenges I had growing up that bled into adulthood was having my voice heard and being given a space for feelings and real, authentic situations and having real conversations,” Arcari explains. “I seldom sat at a table that I had a voice at, so as I got older and discovered my own voice, I really suddenly developed this burn in my belly to give other people a voice.”

On the show, which is filmed at Euphoria Wellness Spa in downtown Peterborough, Arcari invites community members to have conversations around their toughest moments in life, from mental health battles to grief and moments of adversity, and others who are using those experiences to bring good into the world.

“People just open up and become vulnerable and share these things,” she says. “Vulnerability breeds authenticity which further establishes connections, and that reminds us that we’re all human beings and nobody is alone in their journey.

“We might be going through different storms, but the pain is very much the same. I think when we’re alone in that darkness, those reminders are really powerful and can ignite somebody’s light at the end of the tunnel.”

3. The key to getting people to open up is to give them what you needed

After Arcari moved to Peterborough attend Fleming College when she was 18 years old, she knew the city was where she would spend the rest of her life.

“Living in Peterborough has always empowered me to be myself,” she says. “It was safe for me to be myself here, without judgment, without ridicule, without embarrassment, without shame.”

Since The Tiffany Show is all about getting real, Arcari’s priority is making her guests feel just as comfortable and safe as Peterborough made, and continues to make, her feel every day.

“The key to getting people to open up is giving people what you needed,” she explains. “Because being heard was something I really needed, and having a voice was something I needed, it’s easy for me to open that door and create that space for other people. It really is just about being honest and being kind and having your heart in the right place.”

Arcari notes that it also helps to have these conversations while sitting next to each other, and having each other as a support system.

“The emotional energy and connection that we have when we’re in a space together really makes them feel they can drop their boundaries and have an honest conversation, because they know I’m not judging them and that everybody is welcome and safe in this space.”

4. If you can blow something up, do something differently, make it unique … you should

Earlier this year, when she learned there were not a lot of local events for International Women’s Day, Arcari made the quick decision to pull something together no more than a few weeks in advance.

With the immediate support from the community, including businesses offering sponsorship and women agreeing to speak at the event, she organized an engaging and inspiring celebration.

With dozens of door prizes donated by local businesses, she decided to get creative and use them as incentives to get women to open up and to share their stories. Women going up to the mirror and complimenting themselves, women competing in compliment stand-offs, and women sharing their stories of triumph are just a few examples of those who received door prizes.

“The whole mission of the show is telling these humankind stories between each other and that’s what we did that day,” she says. “I was riding high after that event for weeks.”

Knowing how to lead a crowd and host an event, Arcari explains that she always likes to add unique and fun approaches to her community engagement when she can.

“I don’t like things to be status quo,” she says. “If you can blow something up, do something differently, make it unique, make it your own or add your own pizzaz, you should do that.”

Arcari is already well on her way to planning a gathering for International Women’s Day 2025, and if she can pull together what she did this year in a few weeks, imagine what she could do with much more time to prepare.

5. We just have to keep pushing forward and figure things out as we go

While Arcari is excited about the second season of The Tiffany Show, she also knows it will continue to grow into the variety show she first imagined it to be.

Since the show’s inception, she has been collecting segment ideas like “penne for your thoughts” (where she cooks pasta with a guest while hearing them talk) and a rant segment similar to comedian Rick Mercer’s alley rants “but with a positive spin highlighting good things that are happening.”

“It would be like Martha Stewart meets Oprah meets Drew Barrymore meets Busy Philipps — those iconic women to me were the sum of what I wanted this to become,” Arcari describes.

But considering Arcari is the only one doing the writing, directing, organizing, post-production, and editing for the show while also working full-time at Gauvreau Accounting Tax Law Advisory, she hasn’t quite figured out how to add these segments in just yet.

“With that workload, I can’t make all of these other things happen yet, but it will come,” she says. ” I know it will come with time, and for now, we just have to keep pushing forward and figure things out as we go.”

For more information about The Tiffany Show, visit www.thetiffanyshow.ca, where you can also watch episodes.

A Cobourg native, breast cancer survivor, single mom, and leadership development expert has her sights set on an upcoming competition that could crown her with the title of inspirational speaker of the year.

Leisse Wilcox will compete in “Speaker Slam’s 8th Annual Grand Slam: The Inspirational Speaking Finals” on Saturday, November 9 at the CBC Glenn Gould Studio in Toronto.

In May, at one of the five differently themed Speaker Slam qualifier competitions during the year, Wilcox delivered a speech called “The Goldilocks Guide to Finding Freedom,” which explored the pressure of perfection and the pursuit of self-worth.

Her speech earned her second place in the freedom-themed competition. Now she’s going on to the Grand Slam finals with the theme of brave, which challenges speakers to share stories of courage and resilience.

Wilcox shared with kawarthaNOW what she hopes audience members will glean from her upcoming presentation.

“I hope people take away from this speech that anybody can be brave at any point because it is such a choice,” Wilcox said. “It’s a personal decision. It’s not one big, giant, momentous event. It’s a very quiet decision just to be brave by simply being yourself. To me, that is the most empowering gift we can give.”

For Wilcox, a single mother of three young kids, bravery wasn’t just about facing an aggressive breast cancer diagnosis. It was about redefining her identity, embracing vulnerability, and “showing up in the world as her authentic self,” a media release noted.

“Leisse is no stranger to overcoming adversity. From battling breast cancer and choosing to ‘go flat’ after a double mastectomy to navigating divorce and solo parenting, her journey is a testament to the quiet yet powerful acts of bravery that have shaped her life.”

From losing her hair during cancer treatment to choosing to undergo a double mastectomy, Wilcox has had to redefine her relationship with her body, femininity, and the concept of being “enough.”

“We live in a world that tells us to either be not enough or too much, and I had to fight those messages while literally fighting for my life,” Wilcox said.

She added that, with October being Breast Cancer Awareness Month, her story has increased significance.

“Breast Cancer Awareness Month reminds us that many women aren’t just battling their health, they’re battling how they perceive themselves. My story isn’t just about cancer. It’s about radically accepting who we are, right now, no matter what.”

Wilcox has moved forward from her diagnosis by accepting her new identity and finding strength in her vulnerability, which is what has landed her on the Grand Slam stage.

“Leisse’s journey of embracing herself after cancer and redefining her identity aligns perfectly with our Brave theme,” said Speaker Slam co-founder Dan Shaikh. “Her ability to mix humour with vulnerability will resonate deeply with audiences, making her a powerful contender in the Grand Slam.”

How will Wilcox know if she has been successful with her message?

“When I’m holding that trophy, that’s going to be a big indicator,” Wilcox said. “But on the impact side, I always know when people send me messages or stop me in the lobby to share how my words impacted their lives. That to me also counts as a win.”

The Grand Slam will feature the top 14 speakers from the 2024 season, with participants travelling from across North America, including from Starkville in Mississippi, Fort Worth in Texas, and various parts of Canada. They will compete for the title of inspirational speaker of the year, a $5,000 cash prize, and a prize package worth up to $50,000.

The event runs from 6 to 10 p.m. Saturday, November 9 at CBC Glenn Gould Studio, located at 250 Front St. W. in downtown Toronto. Tickets are available at eventbrite.ca/e/862389388877, with livestream tickets also available.

For more information about the speakers and the event, visit speakerslam.org.

If reinventing one’s self was an art form, Terry Guiel would be well on the way to having a museum dedicated to his professional trajectory over the past three decades.

Close to one year into his latest gig as executive director of the Lindsay and District Chamber of Commerce, the 57-year-old Peterborough resident says he has achieved a level of job satisfaction he has never known.

According to Guiel, it’s a byproduct of working daily in an environment where municipal partners are pulling the oars in the same direction to the great benefit of the 275-plus businesses and associations the chamber represents.

On this day, while patrolling the grounds of the 2024 International Plowing Match and Rural Expo at the Lindsay Exhibition, Guiel is distracted but as passionate as ever.

It was on October 17 of last year that Guiel announced his resignation from the Peterborough Downtown Business Improvement Area (DBIA), an organization he served for 10 years as its executive director.

Shortly after, Guiel moved into his new job with the Lindsay and District Chamber of Commerce, having replaced Alyssa Adams who resigned in early October.

Guiel says he couldn’t be happier.

“I’ve known forever that Lindsay’s downtown is beautiful,” says Guiel.

“They do everything right. The police station is downtown. There’s ample parking with two hours free parking. They haven’t got a vacancy issue. It’s clean. It’s extremely safe. For some reason, the social economic collapse has bypassed Lindsay. I can concentrate on what my job is: supporting small business.”

While acknowledging he misses “the BIA world — I won lots of awards with my team,” Guiel says Lindsay’s unified and supportive approach to nipping any problems in the bud is as refreshing as it is invigorating.

“This is a place where council (members), the mayor and the deputy mayor come into my office weekly and say ‘What can we do for you?’ or ask my for my advice on things,” says Guiel, noting his early years at the Peterborough DBIA were marked by a similar atmosphere of cooperation, much to the benefit of the downtown core.

“Council listens, and they look way ahead in anticipation. They’re already looking at how they’re going to accommodate all the housing development that’s happening. Parking, roads, fire stations, libraries, museums … they’re doing what should be done early on. That’s a joy to see.”

Speaking for that body, City of Kawartha Lakes councillor Ron Ashmore, who represents Ward 6, can’t say enough about Guiel’s contributions to date.

“Terry’s been the best that I’ve ever seen at organizing events, and getting out there and meeting business people,” Ashmore says, adding “We’re glad to have him here in our community.”

So what lesson can other municipalities, Peterborough included, learn from Lindsay’s experience?

“Communities better cherish their small businesses because they’re the backbone of the community,” says Guiel, noting that resigning from the Peterborough DBIA was “the most difficult decision I had ever made” and “was extremely sad for me.”

“But since day one here in Lindsay, I’ve loved every minute. I’m the happiest I’ve ever been. I get to work with a great community. I’ve increased the members by 68 — a 25 per cent increase. I’ve gotten more than $80,000 in grants and sponsorships. I’m knocking it out of the ballpark here and I’m loving doing it.”

On that point, Guiel has been busy as of late volunteering his time as entertainment coordinator for the International Plowing Match and Rural Expo — an annual event with an estimated economic impact of $25 million every year in the region where it is held.

Calling on his many local live music friends, he has help secure some 30 acts for the October 1 to 5 event. That effort, he says, has initiated planning for what Guiel describes as “a major festival” in Lindsay in late August or early September of next year.

“This is going to be put Lindsay and area on the map,” predicts Guiel of that upcoming festival.

Other than that, Guiel says “continuing to build the strength of the chamber” will be the focus moving forward, along with continuing to guest speak before community groups, business organizations, and anyone else willing to listen about the success of Lindsay’s small businesses.

Now well settled into his role with the chamber, reflecting on his past roles as a Peterborough city councillor representing Ashburnham and, of course, his time at the head of the Peterborough DBIA (not to mention his years as a professional musician), Guiel says he has found a level of job satisfaction he has never known.

“Here I can just concentrate on what I love to do, what I’m paid for — I can stay in my lane and that makes me happy,” he explains. “If I looked at one of these executive director roles on paper and what they’re looking for, that ain’t me. But my life experience is perfectly suited for it.”

“Every role I’ve had checked off a box here,” Guiel explains. “Organizing events. I did some work in a legal office, so contracts. As a councillor, I got know about bylaws and permits and how a city operates under the hood. All roads have led to here. I don’t think I ever thought ‘Oh, I want to be an executive supporting small businesses’ but it has become an absolute passion.”

Guiel has no reluctance in tooting his own horn when it comes to being cheerleader-in-chief for the Lindsay chamber.

“I like to think I’m really good at it,” he says. “I’m inspiring members and they’re excited. They’re always telling me they see my everywhere, and the profile of the Lindsay chamber is greater than it has ever been.”

Asked if this is the happiest he’s ever been professionally, Guiel quickly answers “Oh God, yes — 100 per cent,” adding “The community has been extremely welcoming.”

“One person said to me ‘How did we get Gretzky?’,” Guiel laughs. “I’m probably more of a Börje Salming.”

A tractor-trailer fire and two unrelated vehicle collisions resulted in closures of Highway 401 in Brighton on Friday (October 4).

Just before midnight on Friday, Northumberland Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) and the Brighton fire department responded after a tractor-trailer’s load caught on fire in the westbound lanes of Highway 401.

Fire crews worked for several hours to extinguish the fire. The highway was closed until 3 a.m., when one lane was opened. There were no injuries reported.

Then, at around 8:15 a.m., Northumberland OPP along with the Brighton fire department and emergency medical services responded to two unrelated collisions on the highway.

A collision in the westbound lanes involved a passenger vehicle and three tractor-trailers, with one of the tractor-trailers rolling over and coming to rest in the central grass median. While all three truck drivers were uninjured, the driver of the passenger vehicle was transported to hospital with minor injuries.

The westbound lanes of Highway 401 were closed at County Road 30, with an emergency diversion route in place, until around 11 a.m.

Meanwhile, a tractor-trailer and a passenger vehicle that was towing a boat collided in the eastbound lanes. The passenger vehicle and boat ended up in a ditch beside the highway, with the tractor-trailer stopped on the hard shoulder.

The truck driver was uninjured and four occupants of the passenger vehicle went to hospital as a precaution. One eastbound lane was closed until the vehicles were towed.

Police are reminding drivers not to take videos of photos while driving past collisions. Not only can doing so significantly increase the risk of causing another collision, but it is an offence under the Highway Traffic Act leading to a fine of $615.00 and demerit points.

When a person becomes a Big Brother or a Big Sister, more than one life is touched.

“Mentoring changes lives — the lives of the children and youth, the family, and the mentor.”

That’s the impact the mentoring programs of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Kawartha Lakes-Haliburton (BBBS-KLH) have in the community, said executive director Janice Balfour.

However, BBBS-KLH has been forced to temporarily pause new applications to the programs due to what the organization calls a “critical shortage” of volunteers and funding.

“We depend on our community for support so that we can support children and youth facing adversity in our communities,” Balfour told kawarthaNOW.

With 45 youth waiting for mentors, the executive director is hopeful with the community’s support, it can help shift kids from the waiting list to making meaningful connections with their new mentors.

“The children and youth that we work with have faced several adversities — (lack of) secure housing, risk factors for mental health, living in poverty, school issues are just a few of them. These circumstances have nothing to do with the value of who they are or who they can become, but because of these situations they risk not having the opportunity to live up to their full potential.”

That’s where Big Brothers Big Sisters can help, Balfour said.

“Mentoring is an intervention that re-maps brain architecture, a process that sets the child up for a lifetime of resilience, positive social interaction, and academic and career success.”

For example, the organization had a young man on its waiting list for two years. The youth was nearing age 16 and aging out of the agency’s programs. He lives in poverty and he struggles with his mental health and school attendance.

“He has been let down by several adults in his life and often takes on the role of caregiver for his younger siblings,” Balfour explained. “We were able to create a strong reliable match with a local volunteer that has helped him learn how trust again, taught him basic life skills, and provides him the opportunity to be a teenager rather than a caregiver.”

For example, his mentor supported him during the loss of a close family member by going out for a drive and listening to music.

“This simple activity gave him the support he needed,” she said of the grieving teen. “This youth is now on track to complete high school and is exploring post-secondary opportunities. He could be the first person in his family to attend post-secondary education.”

On Tuesday (October 1), BBBS-KLH announced it was putting a temporary pause on accepting new children and youth applications for its mentoring programs due to the shortage of volunteers and funding.

“This decision, effective immediately, is a response to the organization’s current capacity challenges that impact its ability to match new mentees with mentors,” a media release noted.

The recent surge in demand for its programs, coupled with a decrease in available resources, has necessitated this pause “to ensure the quality and sustainability of its existing programs.”

“We are incredibly grateful for the community’s ongoing support and deeply committed to continuing our mission,” Balfour noted in the release.

“This decision was not made lightly, but it is crucial to ensure that we can provide the best possible support to the young people already in our programs. By temporarily pausing new intakes, we can focus on strengthening our existing initiatives and work diligently to secure additional funding and volunteers.”

BBBS-KLH is actively seeking new volunteers to join its network of mentors. Volunteers play a pivotal role in the success of BBBS-KLH’s programs, and the need for dedicated individuals is “greater than ever,” the organization noted.

In addition, BBBS-KLH said it is also focusing on fundraising to boost its financial resources and sustain its operations. To that end, the “Bowl for Kids Sake” event takes place on Monday, October 26 at Strike Point Bowling Centre in Lindsay.

Community members who are interested in volunteering or supporting the organization financially can visit the BBBS-KLH website at kawarthalakes.bigbrothersbigsisters.ca or contact the office directly at 705-324-6800 for more information on how to get involved.

BBBS-KLH is described as a non-profit organization dedicated to creating and supporting one-to-one relationships to ignite the biggest possible futures for youth in our community. Through mentoring programs, BBBS-KLH provides guidance, encouragement, and positive role models geared towards helping children reach their full potential.

“Our hope from sharing this information is that we will be able to support all of the children, and youth that are on our wait list,” Balfour said.

Peterborough County is taking a stand against aggressive behaviour towards construction workers.

The county issued a media release to this effect on Thursday (October 3) that was prompted, according to county CAO Sheridan Graham, by incidents during the 2024 construction season.

“There have been numerous events, most recently along Chemong Road when the county and contractor were recently doing surface treatment and painting,” Graham told kawarthaNOW in an email. “That incident involved a driver uttering death threats to our employee.”

In the media release, Graham stated that “any violence or harassment of our workers or our contractors will not be tolerated.”

The county is reminding drivers that any form of aggressive behaviour — including yelling, insults, threats, intimidation, or physical abuse — that is directed towards road construction workers, whether county staff or contractors, is unacceptable.

“Construction workers play a vital role in our community by contributing to essential infrastructure and development projects that benefit everyone,” the release states. “Unfortunately, they frequently encounter unwarranted hostility while on the job. This aggressive behavior disrupts their work, can lead to significant delays in project completion, and if warranted may require police involvement.”

According to Angie Kerr, acting staff sergeant of the Peterborough County Ontario Provincial Police (OPP), anyone engaging in such behaviour could face charges such as uttering threats, assault, or mischief, with penalties under the Criminal Code of Canada ranging from fines to imprisonment.

“I want to make it clear: we have zero tolerance for any threats or violence against construction workers at road closures,” Kerr said. “These closures are necessary to maintain our community’s infrastructure. While we understand the frustration, we will not tolerate aggression toward workers.”

According to Bryan Weir, the county’s senior director of planning and public works, “harassment of construction workers is becoming a serious problem.”

“It stems from impatience, self-importance, and putting the safety and well-being of our vital construction crews second to experiencing a minor disruption in travel,” Weir said.

“Without the important work that is done, there would be no infrastructure to travel upon, no clean water or sanitary conditions, no sidewalks, and unbearable ongoing inconveniences to daily living. Respecting a workplace is a right that everyone is entitled to.”

Graham noted that the county’s communications department “does an amazing job of updating on projects and delays” and that the county also uses the Municipal511 service at municipal511.ca to communicate where construction, road closures, load restrictions, and other possible delays are taking place.

“Please follow us on these channels to get more information and to plan your travel,” Graham said. “Don’t take it out on our workers — kindness and patience go a long way! Thank you for your patience and understanding.”

Drivers can also check the county’s website for construction notices.

A community-funded grassroots organization is fighting back against a recent decision by Peterborough city council to deny their application for a temporary use by-law to build sleeping cabins for people experiencing homelessness.

Peterborough Action for Tiny Homes (PATH) announced on Thursday (October 3) that the group has submitted an appeal to the Ontario Land Tribunal.

On August 26, city councillors meeting as general committee rejected a city staff recommendation that PATH be granted a temporary use by-law that would have permitted the organization to build 24 sleeping cabins for people experiencing homelessness at 385 Lansdowne Street — the former Peterborough Humane Society property located east of Ashburnham Drive.

Back in December 2022, city council had also rejected the idea of allowing PATH to build 15 sleeping cabins at 845 Park Street to address the city’s homelessness crisis over the winter. Councillors said PATH should find another location and go through the planning process with city staff.

In March 2023, PATH entered into a three-year lease agreement with Habitat for Humanity Peterborough and Kawartha Region for the purpose of providing transitional shelter support at the Lansdowne Street site, which Habitat had purchased with the intention of later developing multi-unit affordable residential housing. PATH then began the land use planning process that would eventually result in an application for a temporary use by-law for the site, which is currently zoned as commercial.

That process culminated with the report from city staff, presented to general committee on August 26, that recommended the temporary use by-law be approved.

However, the discussion at the meeting about the staff recommendation became a referendum on the viability of PATH’s proposal itself, as well as the suitability of the proposed site, with council hearing from 10 delegations that included neighbouring businesses and residents who objected to the location of the proposed sleeping cabin community.

The final delegation to address council was Kent Randall, owner and principal planner of EcoVue Consulting Services, the agents for PATH.

“We of course, along with PATH, wholeheartedly support the recommendation from your staff to approve this temporary use by-law,” Randall said. “In your official plan, which provides policies for evaluating temporary use by-laws, there are a set of requirements that I believe we have met.”

Despite the city staff recommendation, general committee voted 8-2 against approving the temporary use by-law. That decision was upheld the following week at the regular city council meeting on September 3, after councillors voted against a motion to defer the decision to a later date, with a second motion for the city to work with PATH to find an alternate location withdrawn.

According to the media release from PATH announcing the Ontario Land Tribunal appeal, the organization’s community supporters and partners have rallied around them since council’s decision.

“We’ve been able to retain largely pro bono legal counsel who believes in what we’re trying to achieve and is eager to take our case to the Ontario Land Tribunal,” said PATH Board member Keith Dalton in the release. “We will demonstrate this is the right location. We’re confident we’ve done our due diligence in researching the suitability of this location, and others over the past two years.”

Dalton also pointed out that the city, which is funding the modular bridge housing community on Wolfe Street in downtown Peterborough (a similar transitional housing model to PATH’s, but for people with higher support needs), has reported positive improvements in the stability of the residents.

“To see the city acknowledge the effectiveness of transitional housing tells us we are on the right track,” said Dalton. “What PATH aims to do is to supplement what the city is already doing and to build on the lessons learned in the Wolfe Street bridge program to meet a very real and urgent need. PATH embraces a community-first philosophy and believes that communities can help solve homelessness.”

The organization says it will continue to make use of 385 Lansdowne Street location “to provide valuable community services” while it pursues the Ontario Land Tribunal appeal.

That includes a partnership with United Way Peterborough & District on a “Coats for Community” initiative, which will be announced on Monday (October 7) at PATH’s Lansdowne Street location.

It’s all paws on deck for K9Crusaders, as the Northumberland County-based dog rescue prepares for its annual harvest festival.

Celebrating all things fall, K9Crusaders Animal Rescue’s annual harvest festival fundraiser runs from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, October 19 at Walnut Grove Daycare, Boarding and Spaw, located at 693 Pinewood School Rd. in Castleton.

The event includes a bake sale, a barbecue, a prize table, local vendors with their wares, professional fall-themed pet portraits, a canine Halloween costume contest, and more.

Well-behaved dogs on a leash are welcome to accompany humans and support the not-for profit all-breed rescue that relies solely on donations and volunteers for its work to rehabilitate and rehome dogs, many transferred from high-kill shelters in Quebec.

K9Crusaders events coordinator Helen Firing shared with kawarthaNOW some of her hopes for this year’s festival.

“It’s always nice when the dollar amount we raise grows year after year, but increased awareness and engagement with the public is sometimes more valuable than that,” Firing said.

“More money raised means we can help more dogs, but we can’t even bring those dogs into care unless we have a volunteer foster home in place for them. So really recruiting more foster homes is a big win for us too.”

The event also features $10 nail trims for dogs, offered by Kat’s in the Doghouse Pet Grooming in Port Hope, with the money collected being donated to the rescue.

Suddenly Art will be selling 3D printed collectibles and artwork. Also participating in the event is Sweet Pea for K9C, “the brainchild of a hand knitter and long-time doggy foster mum who donates 100 per cent of the sales from her one-of-a-kind handknits back to the rescue,” a press release noted.

“One of our rescue partners, No Paw Left Behind, joins us to fundraise with the sale of collars and leads, and our pals from Toe Beans Cat Cafe will have all the cat lovers covered.”

There will be homemade natural pet treats from Maeve’s Morsels and Nova’s Naturals and fresh produce and canning courtesy of Castle Farms. Pet photographer Dorothy Puddester of Hooves and Paws Photography will be on site and offering pet portraits.

Those who attend can visit the sanctuary farm animals on site. Participants can also grab a bite to eat by stopping by the barbecue, which is a new addition this year.

“We asked for feedback and we got it,” Firing said. “Visitors said they were hoping for something more substantial than our yummy home-baked goodness, so we’re offering the barbecue this year, complete with local, fresh corn-on-the-cob. Some of our guests had trouble navigating the somewhat hilly terrain between the car parking and vendor areas so we will have a volunteer driver acting as a shuttle between the two.”

Free parking is available on site.

Visitors who want to learn more about rescue work, volunteering, and/or adopting a pet can stop by the K9Crusaders merchandise tent for information.

“We are so pleased to be bringing dog lovers from near and far for this annual fall festival, yet again hosted by our wonderful partner, Walnut Grove,” Firing said in the release.

“Because we are a 100 per cent volunteer-run organization, we rely heavily on events such as this and our holiday market event in November to raise funds to support the care of our rescued dogs while they wait to find their forever homes. Our thanks to all the vendors who are joining us, and who have generously donated prizes for the event.”

K9 Crusaders was established in 2013 by Jodi Lane. Many of the rescued animals in care are seniors and those with high medical needs. Some of them remain with the rescue as compassionate care fosters to live out their days “surrounded by love and supported medically by the rescue,” according to the release.

K9Crusaders is always looking for volunteers and fosters, as well as monetary donations and supplies. For more information, visit the K9 Crusaders website at www.k9c.ca.