Peterborough Blogs
World War 1 Medals Were Returned To Peterborough Woman After Amazing Discovery At Habitat For Humanity ReStore In Peterborough
/Peterborough’s Catherine Allen, a resident at Princess Gardens Retirement Residence, had a surprise and surreal moment when she found out a significant collection of World War I medals that belonged to her father and grandfather that she had no idea were missing were returned to her by Habitat for Humanity ReStore staff.
Indeed, while every donation at ReStore can lead to a new adventure, this one at their north-end location in Peterborough definitely topped them all.
Somehow Catherine’s family medals and a swagger stick—carried by a uniformed person as a symbol of authority—landed in the bottom of a donation box there, and staff worked diligently to return them to their rightful owner.
Catherine Allen pictured with Jill Bennett from Habitat Peterborough (photo by Neil Morton)
“We knew this collection was sentimental and had to be returned to the family,” says Christina Skuce, Director of Philanthropy & Communications with Habitat Peterborough.
Habitat Peterborough board member Jill Bennett took it upon herself to find the family, spending weeks in places like Ancestry.ca and elsewhere in the course of her sleuthing, investigating the origins of the medals.
Through Bennett’s research, and the help of Major W.G. Campbell, Medals Advisor with The Royal Canadian Legion, she was able to trace the medals to Major George Raymore Scott and Honourary Captain Reverend Andrew Joseph Vining.
Catherine Allen with the found medals (photo by Neil Morton)
From there, the medals were traced to Catherine Allen, a ninetysomething relative living in Peterborough at Princess Gardens. Catherine is the daughter of Major Scott and granddaughter of Reverend Vining (father-in-law of Major Scott).
The medals in the collection include a Silver Jubilee Medal (1935), Victory Medal (1914-1918) and a British War Medal (1914-1918), all awarded to Reverend Vining. The collection also includes a British Coronation Medal (1937), Canadian Efficiency Decoration (1940), Victory Medal (1914-1918), and a British War Medal (1914-1918), all awarded to Major Scott. The collection also includes a swagger stick stamped with Major Scott’s initials. (Major Scott was a doctor in Peterborough and in 1946 founded the Scott Medical Clinic on George Street.)
“This is an important piece of a family’s history and I was honoured to do my part to reunite this precious collection with its rightful owners,” says Bennett.
One thing’s for sure: This Remembrance Day has become extra special for Catherine and her family.
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Paul Rellinger On Relly On The Roof & This Amazing Community
/Relly On The Roof returns for a sixth year April 28th to 30th, again raising funds for Habitat For Humanity Peterborough & Kawartha under the Peterborough Cares fundraising umbrella.
At noon on Thursday, April 28th, Paul Rellinger (aka "Relly")—with the generous help of the Peterborough Fire Department—will be lifted onto the roof of The Brick (1200 Lansdowne St. W.). While Habitat For Humanity volunteers collect donations in the parking lot below, Relly will live atop The Brick until 5 p.m. on April 30th.
"Since I first took to the Brick roof in 2011, this event has reinforced something I was already well aware of—Peterborough residents always find a way to give something," Paul Rellinger tells PTBOCanada.
"We've raised thousands of dollars for Habitat For Humanity. Most of that has been in the form of loose change but it adds up in an awful hurry. Habitat For Humanity, through its partnerships, is able to make that money stretch to help fulfill its important mandate," Rellinger adds.
A highlight of the weekend will be a live music showcase outside The Brick on Saturday, April 30th starting at 1 p.m. Featured performers include Rick and Gailie Young, Jessie Morrissey and Adam Grills, Hilary Dumoulin, Missy Knott, Terry Guiel and Jan Schoute.
Dave Stanley, manager of The Brick, is volunteering his time and staff for Relly on the Roof. Also providing invaluable support is Sobeys, Canadian Tire, Boston Pizza, The Pizza Factory and Tim Hortons.
"I can't say enough about The Brick and its manager Dave Stanley," Rellinger tells PTBOCanada. "Also everyone at Habitat For Humanity and good friend Camille Parent, whose Peterborough Cares initiative gave birth to Relly On The Roof and remains its partner. It's going to be a great three days. I'm excited to get going."
We're excited to see the community get behind this again.
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Habitat for Humanity & The Brick Asking You To Cast Your Vote
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The Brick has teamed up with Habitat for Humanity once again this year, and will be donating a second home to a community in Canada. Last year a family in Stratford was awarded a home and this year we are hoping that Peterborough will be chosen as the next community awarded this opportunity. Cast your votes here in hopes that a deserving family in our area will have the opportunitiy for a new home to call their very own.
[Contributed by PtboCanada's Julie Morris]
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Penny on the Roof In Support Of Breast Cancer Treatment at PRHC
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We dropped by Sears to give our support to Penny Parent who is on the roof to support Breast Cancer Treatment at Peterborough Regional Health Centre. Penny's stay on the roof is all part of a fundraiser called Peterborough Cares founded by Camille Parent. The idea behind this was to have fundraisers going on throughout the city on one simultaneous weekend. Paul Rellinger has been on the roof of The Brick this weekend in support of Habitat For Humanity, as well as events taking place at Morello's Independent for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society of Canada, and Wal-Mart in support of the Canadian Red Cross. [Contributed by PtboCanada's Evan Holt] Tip us at tips@ptbocanada.com. Follow us on Twitter @Ptbo_Canada (hashtag #bethechangeptbo) or Like us on Facebook. |
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Habitat For Humanity Dedication Ceremony For The Jane Street Build Took Place This Afternoon
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It was literally a packed house at 742 Jane Street this afternoon as people gathered for the dedication ceremony of the Jane Street build project.Peterborough Home & Outdoor Show At Memorial Centre This Weekend
/This weekend is the Peterborough Home & Outdoor Show, with more than 125 exhibitors. And Habitat for Humanity women will be "virtually building" a house at the home show—a first-of-its-kind at this show.
[Peterborough Home & Outdoor Show]
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