Stony Lake Private Island Concert Raises $10,000 for Ronald McDonald House Charity

A local couple, Bruce and Susan Hodges hosted Spoons, a JUNO award winning band, and Images in Vogue, at their island property on Stony Lake to raise money for the Ronald McDonald House charity on Saturday.

Spoons and Images in Vogue pose with Bruce and Susan Hodges. Photo by Andrew Clowater.

The Spoons perform at an annual concert for the Ronald McDonald House Charity (RMHC) but had to cancel in 2020 due to COVID.

“They needed to raise money for Ronald McDonald House and couldn’t. So we wanted to help out,” said Hodges.

RMHC gives families with sick children a place to stay closer to the hospital their child is receiving care at. According to their website over 26,000 families received assistance last year.

A recent study found that RMHC programs saved families a total of $48.3 million in out-of-pocket expenses like lodging, food, and other essentials in 2019.

In 2020 Hodges contacted the band and hosted them at their island on Stony Lake. Due to COVID restrictions at the time it was a small event and they were able to raise a few thousand dollars, according to Hodges.

Because of the success of last years concert the Spoons returned for a second concert this year.

“People had a great time, so this year we decided to do it again - make it the second annual,” Hodges said.

In hopes to make this years concert bigger and better Hodges brought in an opening band, Images in Vogue. He also invited guests to watch from a second island while both bands played on a barge in the lake. This allowed more ticket sales, while still complying with the provinces COVID restrictions.

Hodges announced on Saturday that this will be an annual event, and has already booked the band Honeymoon Suite for next year.

This years concert raised $10,000 for Ronald McDonald House Charity and Hodges hopes that they are able to maintain that donation every year.

Spoons pose with Bruce and Sandy at Saturdays concert. Photo by Andrew Clowater.

“As you get older you want to do things that matter, and this seemed to be a really good cause,” said Gord Deppe, lead singer of Spoons.

Both Deppe and Sandy Horne, vocalist and bass player in the band, said last years event was the first show they have played on an island and they were happy to be back.

Spoons also used Saturday night to celebrate their 40th anniversary and a new album release.

‘Echoes’ features different bands covering classic Spoons hits. The funds generated from this album will be donated to the Unison Fund, an organization that provides counselling and emergency relief services to the Canadian music community.

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A Peterborough Family Saved A Baby Beaver In The Kawarthas & We're Not Crying, You're Crying

It’s not often that you get to rescue one of Canada’s national wildlife treasures but on Sunday (June 7th), that’s exactly what Stony Lake island cottager Tracy Turner and her family did—saving a baby beaver (aka “beaver kit”) that was in despair. 

Photo by Tracy Turner of baby beaver she rescued

“It was so sweet and happy to see me,” Turner, who resides in Peterborough, writes in a Facebook post that has garnered grateful comments from across Canada.

“It was stuck in a pool of water between two rocks at the side of the island. For the past two or three days I kept hearing what sounded like a cat meow. Today, I went and checked it out. I dislodged a stick that was blocking his way out and he went right into my hands and onto my paddle board. Just dropped it off to the Kawartha Wildlife Centre. They think he/she is around 2 or 3 weeks old and left the den when its parents didn’t come for him. ❤️ We miss our little friend already.”

Photo by Tracy Turner of baby beaver she rescued

“Just reading some of the comments on Facebook, I’m so overwhelmed by the positive response and how happy this has made people,” Turner tells PTBOCanada, elaborating on how the rescue went down to us:

”When I heard the cries while out on my paddle board, I cautiously moved closer to the rock face of our island. I looked around, trying to find the source of the cry but also not wanting to disrupt a nest or something like that. Then I noticed a rock that sat away from the shore a bit and very slowly peered into the pool of water behind it. I saw this furry little head and he seemed so happy to see me, scrambling and crying and trying to get to me.

A branch had fallen and was lodged where he was trying to get out. As soon as I moved it, he climbed out of there so fast! I had long gardening gloves on that my stepdaughter Molly brought me because I didn’t want to get bit but he was just so small he wanted to be cared for. I picked him up with my paddle and he sat on my board with me, letting me put my hands around him. Molly bravely got in the cold lake water and pushed us to the dock where Matt, my husband, had a towel waiting. He was happy to be snuggled up.”

What the baby beaver was transported in during the ride to Kawartha Wildlife Centre (photo by Tracy Turner)

Turner says that Kawartha Wildlife Centre team in Ennismore was simply amazing to deal with.

“Matt emailed the Kawartha Wildlife Centre in Ennismore. They responded almost immediately and I was overjoyed that they would take him. I was worried about having to keep the baby overnight with us as we were all worried that he had been without food for at least a few days that we knew of or maybe longer.”

The baby was transported by boat and then car to the wildlife centre. “The little beaver did not like the boat ride over to the marina from the island so we went slow,” Turner tells PTBOCanada. “But the whole car ride in to town he got all curled up in the towel and slept. Imagine how tired he must have been. The women at Kawartha Wildlife Centre were so amazing with him and knew exactly what to do. He made such an impact on our family and I’m just so grateful to everyone who helped us.”

Thom Luloff, Chair of the Kawartha Wildlife Centre’s Board of Directors

At the Kawartha Wildlife Centre, the dedicated Wildlife Care Team of staff and volunteers provided care around the clock. The beaver was stabilized after several days of dehydration and exposure to the elements.

Photo by Tracy Turner

And more good news: Kawartha Wildlife Centre shared our Facebook post on the beaver kit with the update that the baby has been transported to Aspen Valley Wildlife Sanctuary in Rosseau, Ontario, where they have another beaver kit, so they’ll be able to grow up together.

”Most mammals leave the safety of mom’s protection after a few months, but beavers need to stay in care for two years before they’re ready to find their own pond,” Kawartha Wildlife Centre adds in the post.

(As for the beaver’s gender, Kawartha Wildlife Centre tells us “we actually aren't sure. They have internal reproductive organs so the test is a little invasive for them.”)

You can watch video of the baby beaver here that Tracy’s husband Matt captured…

“I just dropped it off to the Kawartha Wildlife Centre. They think he/she is around 2 or 3 weeks old and left the den when its parents didn’t come for him. ❤️ We miss our little friend already.” pic.twitter.com/dENtpX7haD

— PTBO_CANADA 🇨🇦 (@Ptbo_Canada) June 8, 2020

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An Island Church Called St. Peter's on-the-Rock On Stony Lake Is Stunning

St. Peter’s on-the-Rock is an island church situated on beautiful Stony Lake in the Kawarthas, near Peterborough.

It celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2014—with the first service there taking place in 1914.

St Peter's is a non-denominational church with Sunday services at 8:00 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. all summer through August 30th. Generations of families who cottage on Stony and nearby Clear Lake have been going there.

The only way to get to it is by boat...

Summer weddings and christenings are also popular there, and it's no wonder. The church is pure serenity...

The church holds up to 225 people.

The view from the church pews is spectacular...

Guests and tourists come from all over on the Trent Severn Waterway to check out this special church where everyone is welcome...

If you can visit this oasis on Lower Stony at some point, do so...

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