Peterborough Blogs
38th Annual Carl Oake Rotary Swim Takes the Plunge For Easter Seals and Rotary Projects
/The 38th annual Carl Oake Rotary Swim plunged into the YMCA Central East Ontario pool to fundraise their goal of $50,000 for Easter Seals Ontario and Rotary Club of Peterborough on Friday morning.
This event has fundraised over $1.4 million for Easter Seals and Rotary Projects. Other recipients of the proceeds are literacy programs, various shelters (Brock Mission, Yes Shelter and more) Breakfast for Kids, Camp Kawartha, Rotary Trail and more.
Roughly $5,300 of the $50,000 goal was already raised online at the publication of this article but more funds have yet to be accounted for with a final tally.
Carl Oake started this event 38 years ago. He says he was inspired by the work the Easter Seals did because of his relatives. His mother’s twin sister contracted polio in the 1950s while a cousin of his was born with spina bifida - both physically debilitating diseases.
Carl’s daughter, Vanessa Oake Hogan, succeeded in the role of organizing the event in 2017 after the former was satisfied that the event had so much community support over the years. She and her sister, Renée Oake, were proud to carry on their father’s legacy.
“He built so much momentum with this event over the year and it's gained a lot of support with the community so it was a natural for us to carry it on,” said Vanessa. “It's definitely important for us to carry on dad's tradition.”
”I'm just proud to carry on the torch for my father for such a good cause,” said Renée.
Teams and groups could swim in lanes to participate in the fundraising event.
New to this year’s swim was the ‘Cannonball’ and ‘Floating Catwalk’ Challenge. They were alternative activities for those who cannot swim or could not get a team to help raise money while participating in the event.
“It was a great addition,” said Vanessa. “I think it's definitely something we would want to continue.”
The online fundraising page remains open for donations until March 15.
“It's always a lot of work leading up to it but it's the day of the event you say, 'Okay, it's all worth it,' and I'm really happy to have all the support and the volunteers,” said Vanessa.
YWCA's Empty Bowls Fundraiser Raises Nearly $20,000 For Its Nourish Food Program
/The 20th annual YWCA Empty Bowls event has raised just under $20,000 in support of our Nourish Food Program that ran at The Venue on Friday.
The Empty Bowls event has raised over $210,000 for the YWCA. All proceeds support the YWCA’s Nourish Food Program which provides fresh food at affordable costs to families experiencing hunger.
Close to 200 guests attended the event with a wide variety of food options available provided by 15 local restaurants. The handcrafted ceramic and wooden bowls created and donated by community artisans were a big hit with participants, many of whom purchased extra bowls to take home.
“This year, more than ever, I’m encouraged and humbled by the number of people who support Empty Bowls with their generosity. The time devoted to making this event a success holds true this year more than ever,” said Kim Dolan, YWCA executive director. “20 years is a remarkable milestone, especially given the challenges in recent years. It is a testament to the dedication of our community members who fired up their kilns, sharpened their chisels, showed up, donated, sponsored, volunteered, and continued the legacy of Empty Bowls in Peterborough.”
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Peterborough Petes Next Gen Game Raises Over $21,000 For Five Counties Children's Centre
/The Peterborough Petes’s annual Next Gen Game raised $21,341 for Five Counties Children’s Centre (FCCC) that was held on Feb. 19, announced on Tuesday.
The money is used to support kids’ treatment services at FCCC.
In 12 years of running the Next Gen Game, this was the highest total fundraiser since the partnership.
“We are so grateful to the Petes, their fans and our other supporters for again showing their support for Five Counties kids,” said Scott Pepin, FCCC CEO. “The funds will go directly to our Building Abilities For Life (BAL) campaign that supports high-demand treatment services at Five Counties. Through these funds, we can help to reduce wait times and ensure more children and families get access to the care they need when they need it.”
There were eight FCCC kids who enjoyed a behind-the-scenes experience at the game, ‘signing’ a one one-day contract with the Petes of working roles within their organization. They included general manager, coach, scout, PA announcer and more.
“The smiles on our kids’ faces lit up the Memorial Centre,” said Pepin. “The Petes were first-rate in creating the Next Gen opportunity, and we heard many good comments and compliments from the kids and their families about their experiences behind the scenes.”
“Every year this event continues to grow. It’s a great opportunity for families to come out and enjoy their Family Day while supporting other kids in our community,” noted Eric Ebenbauer, Petes director of sales. “We look forward to continuing this tradition and engaging with Five Counties clients for future Next Gen programs, which was presented by Tim Hortons this year.”
The Petes hit the ice at home on Thursday to host the Erie Otters for Pride Night. Puck drop is scheduled for 7:05 p.m.
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Peterborough Petes Game to Benefit Big Brothers Big Sisters of Peterborough in 'Big Game For Kids' On March 7
/The Peterborough Pets game against the Ottawa 67’s on March 7 will be extra special as a fundraising night for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Peterborough (Peterborbough Bigs) in the “Big Game for Kids,” announced on Thursday afternoon.
The game at the Peterborough Memorial Centre has the puck drop for 7:05 p.m. The event features a classic photo booth, chuck-a-puck prizes and local hockey action while making meaningful differences for Peterborough youth.
“We are thrilled to partner with the Peterborough Petes and Monaghan Lumber for the 'Big Game for Kids,' an event that combines the excitement of hockey with the spirit of community giving,” said Brent Shepherd, Peterborough Bigs executive director. “Together, we can make a positive impact on the lives of children and youth in our community by providing them with the support and guidance they need to succeed.”
All funds raised benefit Peterborough Bigs’s mentoring programs, allowing the organization to continue matching young people with caring adult mentors, fostering meaningful relationships and positive outcomes according to a press release.
Tickets are available at the Peterborough Bigs website or by contacting Hilary Morgan at (705) 743-6100.
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Homelessness Benefit Concert Returns With 'Peterborough Performs IV' For United Way at Showplace On March 7
/Sixteen acts are taking the stage at Showplace Performance Centre for United Way’s ‘Peterborough Performs IV: Musicians United to End Homelessness’ to fundraise for homelessness initiatives announced Thursday morning.
The one-night event takes place on March 7 at Showplace (290 George St. N.) at 7 p.m. with tickets for $50.
The campaign is in its fourth year with the ultimate fundraising goal $1.45 million. The concert has raised over $84,000 to date, with 95 per cent of the proceeds going to local shelters according to Paul Rellinger, event organizer.
“We all feel homelessness is a big issue that we can't as individuals do anything about,” he said. “You can make a difference with this event.”
While the event averages over $28,000 annually in raised funds, Rellinger adds that no goal is set for this campaign's fourth edition.
“The first goal is to do better than the year before,” he said. “What I'm really excited about is the event is going to well pass $100,000 in money raised over four events and that's pretty good for something that was just an idea four years ago.”
Tiffany Arcari from ‘The Tiffany Show’ is the emcee for the event.
The following are the acts performing at this year’s concert:
The Weber Brothers Band
Emily Burgess
SJ Riley
The Austin Carson Band
The Peterborough All-Star Band (featuring Rick and Gailie Young)
The Cheryl Casselman Trio
Irish Millie
Tom Eastland
Chris Collins
Bread & Soul
Phil Stephenson/Glen Cardus/Ron Kervin
Jacques Graveline
The Hippie Chicks
Michaela Hetherington
Dan Hick
Tim Burnie (stand-up comedian)