Community Care Apsley Awarded Volunteer Of The Year After Supporting Community Through Loss Of Grocery Store

Community Care’s Apsley service office accepted the 2022 Community Volunteer of the Year Award from the Township of North Kawartha at the recent Peterborough County Recognition Awards Ceremony.

Some Community Care volunteers in Apsley and North Kawartha accepting certificate to display in their space. Cathy Leard, Chris Evans, Holly Hilker, Mary Hall and Sue McKinlay. Photo courtesy of Community Care Apsley office.

In December 2020, a fire destroyed the main grocery store in Apsley, leaving many community members without easy access to groceries.

“North Kawartha recognized the efforts of our staff, volunteers and donors who supported the community through the loss of its only grocery store,” said Katie Bryck, Community Care’s Community Development Coordinator in Apsley. “Our Be A Lifeline campaign provided enhanced support to residents throughout this Township to ensure that they had access to food sources.”

Apsley area volunteers worked to support clients and local residents by providing additional transportation to grocery stores in Bancroft and Lakefield. They also did many grocery shopping trips for clients with limited mobility, delivering the groceries they needed directly to their homes. They also ensured that Meals on Wheels was not disrupted, and that freezers were full during the winter months.

“This award is dedicated to our kind, generous and dedicated volunteers,” said Bryck. “We appreciate all our volunteers continue to do for our community and we cannot thank them enough. Thank you, Township of North Kawartha and Peterborough County for this recognition award, we humbly accept it on their behalf.”

Last year, Community Care served 6,233 individuals with in-home support services that allowed them to remain safely in their own homes throughout Peterborough County and over 150 of these clients resided in the Township of North Kawartha.

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North Kawartha Receives $750,000 In Modernization Program For Efficiency Upgrades

North Kawartha received $747,975 for efficiency upgrades as part of their third and final intake of the Ontario Municipal Modernization Program announced Monday.

Carolyn Amyotte, North Kawartha mayor (pictured) was first elected to North Kawartha Council in 2003 and has served four consecutive terms as the Ward 2 Councillor. Photo by David Tuan Bui.

Projects receiving the funding are for renovations to health care infrastructure, software upgrades, security installations, service delivery and organizational reviews. Small townships typically are not reviewed for technological upgrades according to MPP Dave Smith.

“Together, we have been able to identify and oversee more than 32 projects on behalf of the ratepayers of North Kawartha,” said MPP Dave Smith. “For a small community like North Kawartha, these projects worth over $747,000 mean real, tangible savings and better, more efficient services.”

With improved technological equipment, residents and anyone doing business in North Kawartha can save a trip of driving to the township by doing everything online such as paying property taxes according to Smith.

With modern upgrades for North Kawartha, the township will aid in providing better service to tourism which has taken a hit in past years due to COVID.

“That is the lifeblood of our community,” said Carolyn Amyotte, North Kawartha mayor. “We’re better able to serve the residents, we also serve visitors as well too. If we‘re modernizing things like our website, all of our online processes for people to come here, stay here and enjoy North Kawartha.”

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