The Pregnancy Support Services Annual Gala Raised Over $50,000 for Expansion

Peterborough Pregnancy Support Services Annual Fundraising Gala “All About Love” took place Saturday (April 23rd) at The Venue in downtown Peterborough, and raised $55,487 for centre operations and expansions.

About 100 people attended the event, which featured dinner, silent auctions and guest speaker The Honourable Dr. Kellie Leitch—Member of Parliament for Simcoe-Grey and a paediatric orthopaedic surgeon. Kellie has practiced medicine at The Hospital for Sick Children and presently works as volunteer surgeon at the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario.

Pictured: Shawn Cooper and The Honourable Dr. Kellie Leitch

"I was pleased to attend the Peterborough Pregnancy Support Services gala and fundraiser,” says Dr. Kellie Leitch. “I commend them for doing their part in providing guidance and help to those who need their community health care services.”

The funds raised from the gala will help to pay for the PPSS expansion happening this year, including a facility upgrade, restructure of their corporate operations, and the hire and training of staff in order to open as a clinic to provide specific health care services beginning with the confirmation of pregnancy.

Great crowd at The Venue

“The 100 people who attended our gala now have a better understanding of PPSS services and their plans for expansion," says Catia Skinner, Co-Chair of the event. "We hope they spread the word of how PPSS can help expecting parents facing unplanned pregnancy."

To learn more about PPSS, click here.

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Peterborough Police Unveil Gender Neutral Bathrooms

The Peterborough Police Service and its community partners are calling on the community to help create safe, inclusive and positive spaces.

Police themselves have taken leadership and a significant step in that direction by changing their single-stall bathrooms throughout the police station into gender-neutral washrooms.

“We know that people look to police services to set an example of what safety, inclusion and well-being looks like," says Peterborough Police Chief Murray Rodd. "This is one step in the right direction of what we can do to demonstrate our commitment to safe, welcoming and inclusive spaces."

Chief Murray Rodd pictured with Police community partners

“For some people this might just look like a 3x5 sign on the door," adds Chief Rodd. "For other people, when they see it they know they are being welcomed for who they are."

Rodd believes the Peterborough Police Service has a responsibility to every person in their jurisdiction to recognize that some are more vulnerable and at risk than others. "We look to our community partners to help ensure that our responses are appropriate and effective,” he says.
 

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Open House At City Of Peterborough Water Treatment Plant On World Water Day

The Peterborough Utilities Group and Otonabee Conservation are hosting an Open House at the City of Peterborough Water Treatment Plant to celebrate World Water Day, on Tuesday, March 22nd.

The Open House begins at 4 p.m. and will feature tours of the Water Treatment Plant and provide an opportunity for the public to learn more about water management in the region.

Photo by Kevan Light

The theme for 2016 World Water Day is “Water & Jobs”. As Wayne Stiver, Vice-President, Water Utility Services, Peterborough Utilities Group, explains, “With the pending retirement of many professionals in the water and wastewater industries over the next few years, it is imperative to bring young and talented people into this challenging and very rewarding profession. The struggle for safe drinking water in the city of Flint, Michigan reminds us all of the importance quality drinking water plays in the health of our children and our community.”

Meredith Carter, Manager of the Watershed Management Program at Otonabee Conservation, adds, “From source to tap, water management is critical to maintaining good quality drinking water, adequate supplies of water and to sustaining the environmental and economic vitality of the Peterborough region.”

The World Water Day Open House is free for the public to attend. The Water Treatment Plant will open at 4 p.m. and offer tours every 30 minutes until the event wraps up at 6 p.m. A variety of local water related agencies and organizations will feature exhibits about their work.

The Water Treatment Plant is located at 1230 Water Street North, Peterborough (on the grounds of the Riverview Park and Zoo).

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Police Ask You To Be On High Alert Of CRA Scam

With March being Fraud Prevention Month and tax season in full swing, police say it is critical that members of our community are made aware of the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) scam and know what to do if they receive a fake call.
 
Police continue to receive reports from residents who have received phone calls from someone pretending to be with the CRA.

It is important the community remain vigilant and report any suspicious phone calls to the Peterborough Police Service or the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre. 

If you receive any sort of communication from someone pretending to be from the CRA, including either a live phone call or a voice message left on your answering machine, please verify the identity of the person calling before taking any action. Do not take immediate action. 

It is important to note that the CRA does contact people directly and will leave a message on your answering machine. That is why it is crucial to hang up if you have any doubt on the person’s identity and call the CRA back directly at one of the following phone numbers: For business-related calls, contact the CRA at 1-800-959-5525 and for individual concerns, contact the CRA at 1-800-959-8281. To report a fraud, please call the Peterborough Police Service at 705-876-1122 or the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre toll free at 1-888-495-8501 or phone busters.

Be aware that these fake calls can be extremely convincing and aggressive. The fraudsters may threaten a person with an impending lawsuit or state that a warrant will be issued for their arrest if they do not pay the fictitious debt. The fraudster may leave a call back number or pose as police officers. When you call back the fake number, you may get a person on the phone pretending they are from the CRA. Only use the phone numbers provided in this post or visit the CRA’s website here.

In an effort to prevent you from falling prey to these cons, the CRA is releasing voice recordings of the scams that are currently targeting taxpayers.

These are scams and taxpayers should never respond to these fraudulent communications, or click on any of the links provided. Do not give out any personal information, including credit card information, or your Social Insurance Number over the phone until you have done your due diligence to ensure it is not a fraud by hanging up and contacting the CRA directly.

Please keep in mind:
 
The CRA:
· never requests prepaid credit cards;
· never asks for information about your passport, health card, or driver's licence;
· never shares your taxpayer information with another person, unless you have provided the appropriate authorization; and
· never leaves personal information on your answering machine or asks you to leave a message containing your personal information on an answering machine.
 
When in doubt, ask yourself the following:
·  Is there a reason that the CRA may be calling? Do I have a tax balance outstanding?
·  Is the requester asking for information I would not include with my tax return?
·  Is the requester asking for information I know the CRA already has on file for me?
·  How did the requester get my email address or telephone number?
·  Am I confident I know who is asking for the information?
 
For more information, please visit here.

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Healthy Kids Community Challenge Kicks Off with Mayor-Warden Basketball Showdown

Mayor Daryl Bennett and Warden J. Murray Jones squared off on the basketball court of Highland Heights Public School on Thursday morning (February 10th) for a friendly “shoot-off” to officially launch the Healthy Kids Community Challenge for the Peterborough area.

Steph Curry, er, Warden J. Murray Jones with the shot

“We all have a role to play in this community challenge," says Mayor Bennett. "While the program is aimed at the children in our communities, we can all be more active to serve as examples to young people and to encourage them to be more active. That’s why I’m excited to be out here, having fun on the basketball court with these students today. Even a few minutes of play every day can make a big difference over the long term.” 

County Warden J. Murray Jones adds: “Children don’t need to be involved in organized, structured activities to be active. It can be as simple as getting outside and riding a bike or playing a game of road hockey with neighbouring kids. Making it fun will encourage kids to take part.”

Mayor Bennett (far left) and Warden Jones (far right) pictured with Highland Heights students

Peterborough is one of 45 communities in Ontario participating in the Healthy Kids Community Challenge.

From now until June 2016, Healthy Kids Community Challenge funding will help support a variety of activities in our community to get kids and families moving more. Children will benefit from more than 20 initiatives planned to date, including:  

· free public skating times in various arenas
· free parent and tot skating
· free swimming passes
· facilitating schools to bring students to local arenas to skate
· expansion of the drowning prevention program Swim to Survive
· expansion of the Car-Free School Days program
· development of a mobile cross country ski program
· expansion of a bike skills training program Pedal Power
· hosting a “Peterborough Gets Active Month” in April
 
To learn more about Healthy Kids Community Challenge activities, click here. 

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Peterborough Community Trading Cards Introduced To Raise Money For The Warming Room

Kawartha Local—a company that sells locally produced products—has launched a fun community trading card project to raise money for The Warming Room.

Kawartha Local's Rob Howard explains that the collectable cards of "community heroes" are a tangible way to show a love of community, with after-cost proceeds going to The Warming Room—a safe place where Peterborough’s most vulnerable can spend a winter night when no other options are available.

Mike Judson

Each card depicts a different local community hero. According to Howard, “they are all people who make a difference every day—and, just as importantly, work to bring out the superhero in others.”

The cards feature caricature illustrations by local artist Jason Wilkins, with graphic design work by Jeff Macklin of Jackson Creek Press. Featured on the cards are MP Maryam Monsef, Mike Judson, Donald Fraser, Diane Therrien, Michelle Ferreri and our PTBOCanada co-founder Neil Morton.

Maryam Monsef

“There are dozens and dozens of people we could recognize this way in Peterborough,” says Howard. “But for this edition, we asked six to participate.” 

A reception and project launch is taking place Saturday, February 6th from 4 to 6 pm at Black Honey Coffeehouse, 221 Hunter. Cards will be available for sale with several “superheros” on hand at the event.

Donald Fraser

Cards are sold in packages of 3 for $17.70, and are available online at kawarthalocal.ca, and at Naked Chocolate and Black Honey Coffeehouse on Hunter Street. Collectors can complete their set by trading any “doubles” at Facebook.com/KawarthaLocal or by making contact with other collectors on Twitter with the #PTBOTradingCards hashtag.

Diane Therrien

Howard has plans to do a future edition with different personalities. "If we do another Peterborough Trading Cards edition, it will have a different theme and support a different local charity," he says.

Michelle Ferreri

For more information on the “Peterborough Trading Cards” project, contact Rob Howard at 705.791.0050 or email.

More deets on the official launch and reception here.

Neil Morton

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