Cineplex Community Day Is Saturday, October 24th

Cineplex Theatres across Canada are hosting a Community Day this Saturday morning, and that includes the Peterborough location.

Free movies start at 9 am, and doors open at 8:30 a.m. Seating is limited and available on a first come, first serve basis. $2 concessions are available until noon, and all proceeds go to Free the Children.

The following classics are being shown...

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Peterborough Teen Criss Tuck Has Had Enough Of People Using R-Word Around His Autistic Brother

Eighteen-year-old Criss Tuck has heard people use the "retarded" word one too many times around his older brother Jeffrey, 20, who has autism.

Criss with Jeffrey

"Not using the 'R-Word' is something that our family feels very strongly about, and our son Criss is trying to make more people aware of the negative effects on people," says Cathie Tuck, their mother—who along with husband Dave are founders of the Peterborough Huskies special needs hockey team.

Dave Tuck pictured with his boys Criss and Jeffrey (and Criss's race car)

So Criss has just started a "Spread The Word To End The Word" Facebook page to raise awareness about the use of the R-word.

"The reason I am doing this campaign is because of the special needs community. I have been there when people use the word on my autistic brother—and I have also been called this," Criss tells PTBOCanada. 

"I am also doing this for everyone who has a disability and/or challenge since we also have a right not to be called names and have people use the definition of our disability or challenge as a negative form of as what I see as bullying."

"People with intellectual and developmental disabilities are not bad," says the Facebook campaign post. "Their condition is not bad. The prejudice and discrimination to people with intellectual and developmental disabilities is BAD…and WRONG! Please stop using the word ‘retard’. It hurts individuals and families of those with disabilities."

Show your support for Criss's cause by "Liking" the Facebook page.

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Two Young Boys Donated Their Chore Money To Riverview Park & Zoo

This summer two young boys (Nathan and Andrew) came to the Riverview Park and Zoo and donated their allowance to the zoo—along with this nice note and picture below.

The note and picture

And there is more. Zoo Manager and Curator Jim Moloney tells PTBOCanada: "Just last week, Nathan had a birthday party and instead of getting presents, he raised money to adopt one of our animals (a Brazilian Agouti). These are some pretty special boys!" Indeed.
 

Nathan donating

Andrew

Help to support an animal friend of your choice through the zoo's Animal Adoption program. Adoption fees help contribute to animal care, nutrition, and enrichment for the animal that you adopt! Call 705.748.9301 x2331 for more information on the adoption program.

Nathan on his birthday

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PVNC Raises $27,500 To Sponsor Syrian Family

The Peterborough, Victoria, Northumberland and Clarington Catholic District School Board presented Sister Ruth Hennessey of Peterborough’s Casa Maria Refugee Homes with a cheque for $27,500 Tuesday (October 13th) as part of an ongoing fundraising effort to sponsor the relocation of a Syrian refugee family to Canada.

Barbara McMorrow (right), Director of Education for PVNC, presents Sister Ruth Hennessey of Peterborough’s Casa Maria Refugee Homes with cheque for $27,500

In early September, the PVNC community was moved by the Syrian refugee crisis to hold a board-wide fundraising effort. Working with Casa Maria, a non-profit organization that supports and offers safe temporary shelter to refugees, PVNC identified a family of seven who have fled war-torn Aleppo and are now in limbo in Saudi Arabia. Relatives of that family, themselves refugees who have recently relocated to Toronto, toured three PVNC schools in September to tell their story and put a face to the international refugee crisis.

“When we put the call out to our Catholic school communities and the staff at our board office to help support this family, the response was incredible,” PVNC Director of Education Barbara McMorrow says. “Sponsoring a family has offered our community a tangible way to make a difference in what is otherwise an overwhelming crisis.”

Casa Maria has now filed the paperwork for the seven family members, and the sponsorship process to bring the family to Peterborough is underway.

UPDATE: Here are pictures of the family members...

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Gentlemen Of The Otonabee Bare All To Fight Homophobia In Competitive Sport

A calendar by Peterborough rowers to raise money for LGBTQ issues in sport has been released. Engaging in a tradition made famous by the Warwick Rowers from the UK, members of the Peterborough Rowing Club have created a semi-nude calendar (and various prints) called "Gentlemen of the Otonabee" to tackle issues of homophobia and showcase their brotherhood in sport.

photo by J.Lee Photography

The tasteful, rustic, vintage-toned calendar—aptly named for the 6 km stretch of the river that runs by the rowing club in Peterborough—speaks to the sense of tradition that the rowers all share. Rowing is steeped in heritage and has a long-standing reputation of gentlemanly behaviour, both on and off the water.

"It's about building an ally base," says Evan Schuett, a member of the rowing team. "Sport should have no sexual orientation—and in a sport where tight-fitting unisuits already leave little to the imagination, we thought this was an issue that we could address publicly."

photo by J.Lee Photography

$5 from the sale of each calendar will be donated to Egale Canada, an organization that raises awareness about LGBTQ issues in sport—whether it's on the water, on the field or in the locker room.

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Together: An Exhibition On Positive Global Change Coming To Peterborough

The "Together" truck is driving change across Canada—and on October 6th, it rolls into Peterborough. This Together exhibition on global development is an interactive experience on wheels for all ages, highlighting Canadian contributions to positive change around the world.

This custom-built truck has 1,000 square feet of exhibition space, and features powerful photography, film, and audio; one-of-a-kind artefacts; an interactive world map of Canadian contributions overseas; and a skills quiz for visitors to discover how they can contribute to the fight against poverty.

The Together truck will be parked at Trent University (1600 West Bank Dr.) on October 6th and 7th. It will be open to the public from 11 a.m. until 7 p.m. both days. Admission to the exhibition is free.

Together was developed by Aga Khan Foundation Canada (AKFC), and features the work of 21 Canadian organizations working to reduce poverty around the world.

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Tim Horton's Smile Cookies Support Hospice Peterborough's Every Moment Matters Campaign

For one week (September 14th to 20th), Tim Horton's guests can purchase a freshly baked chocolate chunk Smile Cookie for $1 at participating restaurants in Peterborough, Bridgenorth and Lakefield, with 100 percent of the proceeds proudly donated by Tim Horton's Restaurant Owners to support Hospice Peterborough's Every Moment Matters Campaign.

"We are grateful for the continued corporate support and partnership with local Tim Hortons Owners," says Betty Morris, Campaign Chair.
 
New this year, Canadians can share their Smile Cookie Selfies with friends and family. Simply take a picture of yourself with your Smile Cookie, then share via Facebook, Twitter or Instagram using the hashtag #SmileCookie.
 
Visit timhortons.com/smilecookie to learn more about the charities the Smile Cookie campaign supports across Canada.

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Beautiful Message On Hunter Street To Refugees

Syria is in complete crisis, with more than four million Syrian refugees registered with the United Nations High Commission for Refugees.

This banner below that was hanging beside the Only Café on Hunter Street in Peterborough sends a powerful message that refugees from Syria—and elsewhere in need around the world—are welcome here.

Picture via Ben Rough on Facebook

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