Lakefield Foodland Giving Free Turkeys To Those In Need On Dec. 13

Lakefield Foodland is brightening the holidays by giving away free turkeys to local needy families on Dec. 13.

SARAH BLESTOE AT LAKEFIELD FOODLAND AND ROSS GAVE AWAY TURKEYS LAST YEAR TO THOSE IN NEED ON DEC. 14 PHOTO COURTESY OF LAKEFIELD FOODLAND.

Turkeys are given away starting at 11 a.m. until supplies last at 1 Queen St. They are limited to one per family while supplies last.

“A lot of people can use a helping hand at this time of year. We want to offer our assistance to the people in Lakefield and area,” said Ross Bletsoe, Lakefield Foodland owner. “We have purchased frozen turkeys to give away to those in need. We support a lot of local charities, non-profit organizations and sports groups but this turkey giveaway lets us put our assistance right on the table for those who need it most.”

Recipients are asked to provide an address with a postal code of ‘K0L’ and identification prior to receiving a turkey.

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Peterborough Humane Society in ‘The Home Stretch’ of Ongoing Our Pet Project Capital Campaign

The Peterborough Humane Society has launched ‘The Home Stretch’ campaign to raise the $3 million needed to meet the Our Pet Project capital campaign fundraising goal for the new Peterborough Animal Care Centre at 1999 Technology Drive.

Photos courtesy of the Peterborough Humane Society.

PHS moved to the new location in January 2023, with a grand opening celebration planned for June 24. However more funds are needed to bridge the gap and meet the organization’s campaign goal. To date nearly $10 million has been raised; the remaining $3 million will be used to pay off the construction loan.

“This centre was built for the community, by the community. We are close to our goal, and need some additional support to close out the fundraising gap so we can dedicate all of our efforts and future funding to go directly to the care, programs and services for animals in need,” said Shawn Morey, executive director of the Peterborough Humane Society. “We are incredibly grateful to all our donors that have helped us along the way. Our community’s amazing support has helped us make this decade-long dream of becoming a premier animal wellness organization a reality. This home stretch will allow us to finish the project, and allow us to set our sights on supporting more animals and individuals for generations to come.”

The move from the original 6,000 square foot shelter on Lansdowne Street to the 24,000 square foot Centre on Technology Drive in Peterborough has allowed for a Canadian-first with three programs under one roof; the Adoption and Education Centre, Peterborough Regional Spay/Neuter Clinic and the Provincial Dog Rehabilitation Centre run by the Ontario SPCA and Humane Society.

Since the move less than 5 months ago over 200 animals have been adopted, and over 1000 have been spayed/neutered with 13 dogs being rehabilitated.

“We have already seen a tremendous impact on our community since moving into our new facility, and we are hopeful that more donors will join us to allow us to reach our goal, and allow us to provide even more programs and services to support our local and regional communities,” concluded Morey. “We encourage folks to come and visit the new Peterborough Animal Care Centre. Our doors are open, and we look forward to continuing our organizational mission within this incredible new Centre. We’re in the home stretch– but our commitment to improve animal wellness will never stop.”

Donations can be made online, over the phone or in-person at PACC (1999 Technology Drive). Naming opportunities and major gifts can be discussed with Si Grobler (manager of donor relations) at s.grobler@ptbohs.com or 705-760-4451.

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Lakefield Foodland Giving Free Turkeys To Those In Need For Dec. 14

Lakefield Foodland is getting in the holiday giving spirit by giving away free turkeys to local families in need will be brightening Christmas for local families on Dec. 14 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Sarah Blestoe at Lakefield Foodland and Ross gave away turkeys last year to those in need on Dec. 15 PHOTO COURTESY OF LAKEFIELD FOODLAND.

“A lot of people can use a helping hand at this time of year. We want to offer our assistance to the people in Lakefield and area,” said Ross Bletsoe, Lakefield Foodland owner We have purchased frozen turkeys to give away to those in need. We support a lot of local charities, non-profit organizations, and sports groups, but this turkey giveaway lets us put our assistance ‘right on the table’ for those who need it most.”

Turkeys are limited to one per family while supplies last.

Recipients are asked to provide an address and identification prior to receiving a turkey.

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Local Tim Hortons Smile Cookie Campaign Raises Over $92,000 for Community Care Peterborough

Tim Hortons restaurant owners at Peterborough, Lakefield, Bridgenorth and Curve Lake locations raised $92,608.26 for Community Care Peterborough (CCP) through this year’s Smile Cookie Campaign announced Tuesday.

Tim Hortons restaurants broke local fundraising records through this year’s Smile Cookie campaign. Photo by Felicia Massey.

The annual Tim Hortons Smile Cookie campaign ran from Sept. 19 to 25 in participating restaurants across Canada this year. 

When customers purchased a chocolate chunk Smile Cookie for $1 plus applicable taxes, the local Tim Hortons restaurant owners donated 100 per cent of proceeds to Community Care Peterborough’s ‘Give A Meal’ and ‘Give A Drive’ subsidy program initiatives.

These services through the CCP assist seniors and adults with physical challenges in the Peterborough community to live independently, and at home by providing services such as transportation and meal delivery.

“Although we have many clients who do not struggle, we have an increasing number who do. Many more seniors and adults with disabilities are making difficult choices about cutting food costs or missing medical appointments to reduce travel costs in order to remain in their home,” said Alicia Vandine, CCP donor relations and communications lead. “To assist these clients, we created the Give A Meal and Give A Drive subsidy programs. These subsidy programs allow seniors and adults with disabilities to access these services for free or at a reduced rate depending on their financial circumstances. It also allows us to help us subsidize the costs related to these programs so that we also have affordable options for those clients who can pay for them on their own.”

The Smile Cookie campaign began in 1996 as a way to raise funds for the Hamilton Children’s Hospital. In the last 26 years, it has grown to become a major fundraising event at Tim Hortons restaurants, raising more than $75 million for local charities and community groups.

Last year, Tim Hortons raised over $12 million for over 600 charities and community groups, and almost $70,000 locally for mental health care at Peterborough Regional Health Centre.

“There’s absolutely no way that we could have done this without the volunteers and the staff that came in. The numbers are in the double digits, and we are absolutely thrilled,” said Mary Blair, local Tim Hortons owner. “It was a great campaign, and on behalf of all of us, it’s the best campaign we’ve ever had.”

This year Tim Hortons sold a record-breaking number of cookies, over $15M, across the country. Locally, this year’s campaign also broke records, exceeding last year’s earnings by over $20,000.

“We decorated cookies, we were ambassadors, we were welcoming people and encouraging them to support Community Care,” said Danielle Belair, executive director at Community Care Peterborough. “We cannot say thank you enough to our communities, the local Tim Hortons teams and our volunteers who together made this happen for us.”

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Five Counties Exceeds $250,000 Goal in Building Abilities for Life Campaign

Five Counties Children’s Centre’s (FCCC) Building Abilities for Life campaign has raised more than $277,000 for speech and language treatment announced in a press release on Monday.

Photo courtesy of Five Counties Children’s Centre.

The campaign — which launched last year — exceeded its goal of $250,000. The funding can aid speech and language treatment for roughly 1,000 children across the region.

A $53,000 donation from the Port Hope and District Health Care Foundation is credited for pushing the fundraiser over the top.

“This achievement was greatly enhanced by the generous support of the Port Hope and District Health Care Foundation,” said Scott Pepin FCCC CEO. “The Foundation’s support of our Building Abilities for Life campaign means more kids will receive the speech and language treatment they need that will impact the rest of their lives.”

Five Counties’ says the need for speech, language and communication therapies continue to grow every year and longer waiting lists mean some children and families can’t immediately access assistance.

“For some kids, the things other children do like telling a family member about their day once they’re home, talking on the phone to a friend or having the confidence to speak up at school would be impossible hurdles for them without professional support,” said Pepin.

The organization continues to raise funds so that children can receive these vital services, ensuring their ability to feed, swallow, improve speech/language skills and have access to adaptive communication equipment.

For ways to donate, visit Support Our Kids at Five Counties Children's Centre.

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Artwork Memorializes Messages From Residents Impacted By Suicide And Overdose

The Greater Peterborough Health Services Foundation (GPHSF) and Hospice Peterborough unveiled an art installation, which involves messages to loved ones who died by suicide and overdose, at Rogers Cove last week, following a collaborative event that raised $1,455 in donations for Hospice’s suicide bereavement programs.

From left, local artist Lee Higginson and Elizabeth Bower-Gordon, Hospice Peterborough communications assistant, stand at Rogers Cove on Aug. 2 during the unveiling of artwork from the Darkness to Light event. Photo courtesy of Hospice Peterborough.

Local artist Lee Higginson created the installation, called Frayed/Bound, with messages from and materials chosen by Peterborough and area residents who had gathered on Dec. 21 for Darkness to Light – an outdoor sunrise gathering held at Rogers Cove for anyone impacted by suicide and overdose.

“The hope is that Frayed/Bound captures the sense of being undone and raw, but also the idea that being connected in grief makes the person, and community, stronger,” said Higginson.

Last year’s inaugural event was free to attend and focused on the unique grieving process that follows loosing someone to suicide.

“We are grateful for this community collaboration that helped support those who had experienced this type of loss and allowed them to come together to honour their person,” said Sheila Bourgeois, Hospice Peterborough’s Child and Family Life Specialist. “The generous funding will help Hospice to continue to offer our specialized support group for people who have experienced the death of a close family member by suicide.”

“Our hope through this event is to not only create awareness and financial support for the programs, but also help breakdown stigma and barriers to accessing the support,” said Vince e Bierworth, Executive Director for the GPHSF. “These are great programs with kind and compassionate people there to help you through your journey.”

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Porch Pirates For Good Collect Over 25,000 Pounds Of Food For Kawartha Food Share

The annual Porch Pirates For Good campaign collected 25,780 lbs of food from Peterborough residents, for Kawartha Food Share, on Saturday.

All photos courtesy of Kawartha Food Share.

According to a post on social media, over 200 volunteers drove around the city, collecting donations from porches.

Donations can be made to Kawartha Food Share year round, by dropping them off at the warehouse (665 Neal Drive, Unit 1 ) or at any local grocery store.

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Porch Pirates For Good Will Host Food Drive For Kawartha Food Share On May 14

Porch Pirates for Good are back to collect food for Kawartha Food Share, on May 14.

(FROM LEFT TO RIGHT) SUSAN DUNKLEY, LOIS TUFFIN, ASHLEE AITKEN AND MEGAN MURPHY ahead of the April 2021 food drive. PHOTO COURTESY OF MEGAN MURPHY.

On May 14, anyone who is not ill or in self-isolation, is being asked to leave a bag of non-perishable food items on their front porch.

Volunteers with the Porch Pirates for Good will drive around Peterborough and collect donations, then deliver them to the KFS warehouse.

Since the beginning of the Pandemic in March 2020, there have been four porch food drives, which have collected over 100,000 lbs of food and over $10,000 in monetary donations.

In March 2022, KFS agencies served over 12,000 individuals - 7510 adults and 4521 children under 18.

In addition to food donations, monetary donations are also accepted. Volunteers can accept cash or cheque on May 14, or donations can be made at any time here.

For every $1 donated, KFS can purchase up to $6 worth of food.

While KFS will accept any food donation, they have compiled a list of their most needed items.

• Peanut Butter – in great need! (KFS suppliers are out of stock)

• Canned tuna

• Canned fruit – in great need

• Individually wrapped school snacks – very helpful

• Pasta and pasta sauce

• Alpha-getti, Kraft Dinner and Chef Boyardee, (things that are easy and that kids like)

• Breakfast cereal

• Gluten free items – like pasta, cookies, oats etc.

• Canned vegetables

• Rice

• Canned soup/stew

• Feminine hygiene products

• Baby formula

• Diapers

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Tilly Stimpson Raises Over $8,000 For Type 1 Diabetes Research

Tilly Stimpson, a grade 9 student at Thomas A. Stewart Secondary School, has raised over $8,000 for Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF) after being chosen as one of their 100 Ambassadors of History.

2022 marks the 100th anniversary of the first injection of insulin.

To mark the milestone JDRF is hosting the ‘Lets Make History Again Campaign’ which aims to raise money that will fund valuable research to fund a cure for Type One Diabetes.

The 100 Ambassadors of History, which is the group Stimpson is a part of, is a special group of Canadians who will each host their own fundraiser to contribute to the campaign.

Stimpson decided that this year she would fundraise online and climb the 100 steps of the Lift Locks for every $100 raised.

“Initially our goal was $1,000,” said Jo, Tilly’s mother. “When we broke that we just kept upping the goal. And now $8,000 - that’s unbelievable. Every other time we’ve fundraised we usually tapped out around $2,500, we are just blown away.”

Stimpson noted how grateful she was to those that donated, especially with everything going on in the world.

“I can’t believe how much I’ve raised, especially during COVID and the war. I know people have been struggling through that so I just really cannot believe how much I’ve raised.”

As one of the 100 Ambassadors of History, Stimpson had the opportunity to visit one of the five ‘Leaders in History’ a top a flagpole in Toronto.

The Leaders in History are five chosen Canadians living with Type 1 Diabetes that camp a top flagpoles in five different cities, for 100 hours, or until $15 million is raised.

Stimpson was lifted into the 40-foot flagpole and had the chance to talk to Vanessa Oliver, Toronto’s Leader in History, who’s father started the tradition of the flagpole campout 32 years ago, when his daughter was diagnosed with T1D.

Stimpson will continue to accept donations to her campaign until the end of May.

She says while the money raised will contribute to valuable research, she mainly wants to raise awareness about the disease she lives with daily.

“I want to raise awareness, obviously people know about diabetes - but they need to know more - especially kids at school,” said Stimpson.

Both Tilly and Jo agree that people often think Type One Diabetes and Type Two Diabetes are the same thing. Though in reality, T1D has nothing to do with lifestyle or diet, it’s simply due to the pancreas’s inability to create insulin, they say.

“Research needs money,” said Jo. “This amount of money they’ve raised is significant. I feel like we’re close. I know everyone always says that, but I really think we are. Lives are being improved. It may not be a cure yet, but lives are being improved for sure.”

To donate to Stimpson’s cause, click here. To follow along on Tilly’s journey on Instagram follow her @diabetes.the.bully

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City of Peterborough Declares "Kevin the Water Bacon" First-Ever Official Town Mascot

UPDATE: APRIL FOOLS!!!

The City of Peterborough is riding the waves of their logo as they declared “Kevin the Water Bacon” the first-ever official town mascot announced on Friday.

“Water bacon” is a tongue-in-cheek reference to the City’s logo of blue and white horizontal wavy stripes that launched in the spring of 2018. The logo was commissioned by naturalist Dylan Radcliffe who created Water Bacon keychains and bookmarks in the same year.

“I’m totally overwhelmed. I don’t even think it’s sunk in but wow, so excited,” exclaimed Kevin. “When they changed the logo with ‘The Water Bacon,’ I thought, ‘Huh, you know? We need a character!’ so here I am.”

@kevinthewaterbacon What's a Water Bacon you ask? #waterbacon #kevinthewaterbacon #unofficialmascot #lovelocal #lovelocalptbo #peterborough #ptboontario #ptbocanada #kawarthas #yarnies ##yarnielove #bacon #explained #nowyouknow ♬ I Can't Believe My Luck-MG-JP - Tiaradactyl

Kevin is an advocate for supporting Peterborough businesses and has posted his appearances on his social media. Places include Emily Mae's Cookies & Sweets, Souvlaki Pit (Ace Submarine) and East City Coffee Shop.

The Water Bacon says he will continue to make appearances and promote local businesses. The visits promote local tourism and town spirit as pandemic restrictions have been loosened as part of his mandate.

The decision came after a behind-closed-doors council meeting Monday night at City Hall. Councillors unanimously voted for Kevin as the new mascot but did not disclose other potential candidates.

Mayor Diane Therrien endorsed the logo’s nickname during her mayoral campaign in 2018. She was adamant about continuing the inside joke that began trending on Twitter with the hashtag #waterbacon.

“Making light of ‘water bacon’ is a fun and whimsical way of promoting and representing the City’s brand and community,” she said. “With Kevin being our new mascot, it reflects on how positive and joyful Peterborough really is.”

Mayor Diane Therrien adopted the tongue-in-cheek name of “Water Bacon” during her mayoral campaign since the City of Peterborough branded the logo in the spring of 2018. She wears the Water Bacon earrings made by Dylan Radcliffe via a 3D printer. Photo courtesy of Julie Morris.

You can find Kevin the Water Bacon on their official social media accounts on Instagram, Twitter and Tiktok.

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