A Big Mac For Fort Mac: Local McDonald's Helping Fort McMurray Families

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UPDATE: May 10th, 2016 -> The Big Mac For Fort Mac is going across Canada. "An Every Big Mac Supports Fort Mac fundraiser is happening across the country this coming Friday through Sunday," Adam Grachnik, External Communications Manager with McDonald's, tells PTBOCanada. "A number of guests and franchisees, including in Peterborough, came forward with similar ideas. We’re donating $1 from the sale of every Big Mac purchased in every one of our 1,400 restaurants across the country over the three days to the Red Cross."

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ORIGINAL POST

Local Peterborough area McDonald's restaurants have stepped up bigtime, with one dollar from every Big Mac sold going to help the relief efforts for the people of Fort McMurray.

This amazing "Big Mac For Fort Mac" news comes via our friends from The Wolf...

Photo via The Wolf

As one Fort McMurray evacuee remarked on The Wolf Facebook page, "As a former resident of Ptbo & current evacuee of Fort McMurray this makes my heart swell ❤️ Please go have a Mac for the Mac!"

Another Fort Mac evacuee had this to say: "Peterborough born and raised, but now I'm here back from the Mac after 4 days on the run. I can tell you from the bottom of my heart that every little bit helps. We have our cats and the shirts on our back, but we are still fortunate and lucky to be home."

A local McDonald's employee tweeted at us about how kind a gesture this is for the local franchise owners to do this...

The locations involved are in Peterborough, Lakefield, Lindsay and Bancroft, but we hope to see this spread to other franchises across Canada.

Spread the word. And buy a Big Mac.

[Related: There's A Little Bit Of Fort McMurray In All Of Us]

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PTBOCANADA


Holy Cross Students Walk A Mile In Her Shoes Event Was A Thing Of Beauty

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[***UPDATE: YWCA tells PTBOCanada that the total amount raised for the Holy Cross Walk a Mile in Her Shoes event is $2,383.25—surpassing their goal of $2,000! Awesome!!]

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This year's Walk A Mile in Her Shoes event for YWCA takes place May 27th, but in the build up to the big day many local schools—Holy Cross, Crestwood and Kenner—are hosting their own special events to raise money and awareness among students.

On a beautiful Tuesday (May 3rd), Holy Cross students and staff hosted a great day at their school to show their support for Walk a Mile and promote healthy relationships.

More than 50 staff and students participated, walking four laps on the school track in heels.

Eileen Kimmett was there and snapped these great photos...

There were also great tweets throughout the Walk a Mile event at the school...

The day was further proof that youth in our community—the next generation to make an impact—are amazing.

[Related: 10 Things You Should Know About 2016 Walk A Mile In Her Shoes]

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$11,000 Raised At 2016 Walk So Kids Can Talk In Peterborough

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Despite a rainy first day of May, almost 100 walkers turned out for the 2016 Walk So Kids Can Talk supporting Kids Help Phone on Sunday morning.

The James Strath Public School Drumline provided entertainment as walkers registered...

Photo by Daniel Morris

Photo by Daniel Morris

Kids Help Phone is a free, anonymous confidential counselling and information service for young people—an invaluable resource for them.

At Sunday's event, there were many great volunteers, including Justine, a first-time volunteer pictured below...

Photo by Daniel Morris

Photo by Daniel Morris

People of all ages came out to support this amazing cause, which raised more than $11,000 for Kids Help Phone.

That included a younger walker sporting a cape on the route...

Photo by Daniel Morris

Photo by Daniel Morris

After the walk, Boston Pizza was kind enough to donate pizza for participants...

Photo by Daniel Morris

Photo by Daniel Morris

—guest post by Beth McClelland

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Faceless Doll Project Teaches Powerful Lesson To Students About Missing Indigenous Women

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Standing side-by-side, in a seemingly endless row that stretched the length of more than five tables, the image of hundreds of Faceless Dolls painted a powerful and haunting image.

It took several hours and the work of 80 students from Grade 7 to 12 in Peterborough to produce the end effect.

Students from St. Catherine Catholic Elementary School and St. Peter and Holy Cross Catholic secondary schools took part in an outreach Thursday (April 28th) to learn about Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women.

The event took place in partnership with the Niijkiwendidaa Anishnaabekwewag Services Circle and the Curve Lake Cultural Centre.

The students heard first-hand accounts about the issues from members of Curve Lake First Nation before taking part in the Faceless Doll Project, crafting hundreds of felt dolls to represent those voiceless missing and murdered women. The dolls will be attached to banners that can travel from school to school.

“We’re getting a first hand experience, so we’re a part of the project— we’re not just hearing about it,” says Brenna Roblin, a Grade 10 St. Peter CSS student. “As you’re making it, you can just see each and every woman or girl that has been affected as you put together each dress or each piece of hair. You just care about the person as you’re thinking who has been affected and who that doll is.”

Liz Stone, Executive Director of the Niijkiwendidaa Anishnaabekwewag Services Circle in Peterborough, helped lead the discussion.

“I’m hoping that the students and the faculty that are involved will start to see that this is a Canadian issue, not an Aboriginal issue," Stone says. "It affects everybody. If individuals at a grassroots level starting at a young age have the knowledge, then they can create change at a large scale.”

Bringing the issue into the curriculum can be challenging for any teacher, says Amanda McInnes, the St. Catherine CES teacher who helped organize the outreach. That’s why having a tangible activity such as the Faceless Doll Project can bring home the lesson as an experiential exercise, she said.

“It makes it real," McInnes says. "Hearing about it is a powerful teaching tool, but putting these dolls together and being mindful that these are women in our community that have faced extreme violence and they are voiceless right now… it’s really important to teach.”

Phillip McQuade, a Grade 12 Holy Cross CSS student, has a new appreciation for the issue:

“I think I’m going to have a lot more awareness about what is going on, the unfairness that is going on in the Aboriginal community—especially towards women. And I think one thing that I will take from it is that it actually impacts me as a community member."

—guest post by Galen Eagle

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10 Things You Should Know About The 2016 Walk a Mile in Her Shoes

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10 Things You Should Know About The 2016 Walk a Mile in Her Shoes

Partner post with Walk A Mile In Her Shoes

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

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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

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

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

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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

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

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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

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

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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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