St. Paul School In Norwood Is Sending 160 Dresses To Girls In Impoverished Countries Around World

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There are 120 dresses hanging in the main hall of St. Paul Catholic Elementary School in Norwood and pretty soon there will be 160—one for every girl in the school.

They used to be plain cotton T-shirts and fabric. Now they are vibrant and colourful. They have pockets and lace, polka dots and stripes, flowers and plaid.

Lined up together, hanging on a clothesline, the dresses make a powerful statement. They were sewn by the Grade 5, 6, 7, and 8 students, many of whom had never used a sewing machine before. The material for the dresses was fundraised for and donated by the school community.

The dresses will soon be shipped across the world and given to girls in impoverished countries where not owning a dress can mean not going to school.

Michele Keating is the Special Education Resource Teacher at St. Paul Norwood and an avid seamstress who runs the school’s knitting and sewing clubs.

Supporting the charity Dress a Girl Around the World, Keating had planned to make a handful of T-shirt dresses with a handful of interested students. Interest spread, and soon enough, every Grade 5, 6, 7, and 8 student wanted to take part.

The school held a fundraiser to purchase supplies. The community responded, dropping off material and volunteering to sew. Keating set the goal to make 160 dresses to represent the school’s 160 girls.

“The response from the students has been amazing," Keating says. "Every student who has made a dress has been so proud of themselves. The teachers are happy with it too, not only because it’s a great social justice cause, but we cover a lot of math curriculum, a lot of formulas for figuring out area and a lot of real-life application of measurement."

“It has really brought our whole school community together," she adds. "There was no way on earth we could have done this if I didn’t have volunteers from our community and people dropping off material. There was a whole box of lace that was randomly dropped off in my room one day. It started out being some small thing and it spread through our school and through our community.”

School principal Rob Citro takes some sewing instruction from Michele Keating.

Today, Keating has some special helpers to contribute in the homestretch of the project. Director of education Michael Nasello, school superintendent Timothy Moloney and school principal Rob Citro are making their own dresses under the supervision of experienced Grade 8s.

“I learned that you don’t have to do much to make a big difference in someone else’s life,” says Grade 8 student Eliza Buchanan, who was helping Moloney navigate the sewing machine. “You’re making something and it’s such a little thing for you, but it’s going to be something so big for the girl who gets this dress. It’s really inspiring.”

Grade 8 student Eliza Buchanan

“I think it will make us feel really good seeing all the dresses lined up in the hall because you’re doing something for other people, not ourselves, people who are less fortunate,” says Grade 8 student John Hughes, who co-created a dress with Nasello.

Director of education Michael Nasello shakes hands with sewing partner Grade 8 John Hughes

While working with the students, Nasello said one word came to mind: dignity.

“There is something really special about clothing," he says. "Clothing is not only providing a necessity of life, but it gives a person dignity. To reach out and support young people the same age or younger and to bestow some sense of dignity and support in their lives, I think is the most important type of outreach. I’m so amazed that there is an initiative like this and that it’s really involving students and adults working together to do something good for young people around the world.”

—guest post by Galen Eagle

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314 Words That Could Change Your Life: A Letter From Erica

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It’s very rare for a woman to be at the right time and place in her life to be able to share her story in this way. But Erica feels strongly about using her voice to help others who may be in need and not know what to do in a relationship involving domestic violence.

Five years ago, Erica turned to the YWCA in Peterborough for safety while ending a violent relationship. Today, she's sharing her story to inspire others to support the services that helped her get her life back.

Read her letter below about how the YWCA helped save her life and give her hope...

A Letter From Erica

"I remember looking at my newborn daughter’s perfect little face moments after she was born, thinking: all you’ll ever know is love. Everything will be different now. This time I can trust him. But I was so wrong.
 
The abuse that began during my pregnancy only got worse. No one in my family knew about the insults he screamed at me or the things he’d thrown at me when he got upset.
 
I’d never told anyone that the man who’d promised to love me had grabbed me by the throat until I was gasping for breath.
 
I can remember crossing the Burlington Skyway on the day we finally left. It was a 3 hour drive to my parents’ place in Ennismore and my body shook the whole way there. I was terrified of what would happen when he found out we weren’t coming back.  

That’s when my mom reached out to the YWCA.
 
My counsellor understood everything that was happening and told me my instincts were right: the most dangerous time for a woman living with abuse is when she tries to leave. She listened to what we’d been through, answered my questions and helped me see my options and all the help available.
 
For the first time in four years, I was able to breathe and feel safe again.           
           
My parents did everything they could to help. They opened their home and their hearts the moment they learned what was happening. But there were a lot of questions they didn’t have the answers to either, like: What would happen if we contacted the police? Should we get a restraining order? Was it safe to leave the house with my daughter?
 
The YWCA provided information and practical resources that we could put into action immediately. Their support changed everything! Suddenly we had options, a future. My daughter and I had our lives back!"  —by Erica

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Do you or someone you know need help? YWCA Counsellors are available around the clock to answer questions, provide support and offer practical resources that help women stay safe and change their lives.
YWCA helps women, as well as the people who love them, because abuse affects us all. If you think someone you know or love may be experiencing abuse and want to learn more about how to help, please call 1-800-461-7656 anytime, day or night. You’re not alone.

Learn more about Erica's journey. Watch this powerful video below about how she and her daughter rebuilt their lives after reaching out for help...

Five years ago, Erica turned to the YWCA for safety while ending a violent relationship. Today, she's sharing her story to inspire others to support the services that helped her get her life back.

Engage with us on social media on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and Snapchat (ptbo_canada). Write to us at tips@ptbocanada.com. Sign up for PTBOBuzz newsletter here. Watch our PTBOCanada Love video here.

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A Woman Near Peterborough Saved Her Yearling Horse That Was Being Attacked By A Coyote

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A Douro-Dummer woman's Facebook post (see below) about her yearling horse Indy getting attacked by a coyote is getting hundreds of shares on Facebook.

Screengrab via Facebook post

Sara Whetung, a freelance horse trainer, tells PTBOCanada her harrowing story of the attack she witnessed on Friday, March 24th at her barn on Whetung Road near Stoney Lake Market at Crowe's Landing:

"It happened at approximately 7:15 pm at our farm (Canadian Frost Farm) at Crowe's Landing on Stoney Lake. My horses (I have 3) come in the barn in the evening to have their evening grain, then are turned back out for the rest of the night. My horses came in as usual on Friday night (when this happened) and were turned back out. When getting back into the paddock, my Appaloosa yearling Indy (she is 1 year, 9 months) ran down to the run-in shed—which is a short distance down the hill from the paddock gate they are led in—and did not return."

Sarah with her beloved Indy

"I was not alarmed at first, as I often put hay out down by the run in, however she did not return. I proceeded to pick up manure and check the water trough (by the gate), when I heard loud screams coming from my filly, Indy, along with thrashing noises. I immediately (with manure fork in hand) ran down to the run-in where I found her down on the ground with the coyote on top of her ripping her leg. I was also yelling and screaming at the time. The coyote, after hearing and seeing me, jumped back and off of the filly, and took off into the bush. The filly continued to flail on the ground and I had to get her up. The filly suffered a large 8 inch gash to the bone on her right front leg, as well as a small gash on her back leg and nose."

Indy's deep gash

While the vet has stitched up Indy, Sara tells PTBOCanada she is not in the clear by any stretch:

"It's a 50/50 chance she will heal properly. The infection risk is high. Because the wound is right on the joint, the stitching is less likely to hold. She was very close to having tendons/ligaments exposed, but thankfully they were not."

Indeed, Indy's current vet bills and future bills will be high, so Sara—a Trent student—has set up a GoFundMe page in the hopes people will help cover the costs and ensure Indy receives the best care and support required to make a full recovery.

Indy stitched up, and safe in her stall

Whetung adds that there are lots of coyote tracks this morning (March 26th) up by her barn: "The horses are in now 24/7, as I am not confident turning them out until this coyote is dispatched. Coyotes are very thick out here this year, and while this is most likely a random attack, they have also been taunting my neighbor's horses and getting in the paddocks with them, too."

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Here's The Love A Grade 5/6 Peterborough Class Showed To A New Syrian Student

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A Grade 5/6 class at St. Teresa Catholic Elementary School in Peterborough showed that love and inclusiveness are the everything. Below is how they welcomed Mahfouz, their new Syrian student, to show him how happy they are to have him at the school—and in this city and country.

Picture via St. Teresa Facebook page

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Fleming College & Trent University Partner On Campaign About Negotiating Sexual Consent

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Fleming College, Trent University and their student associations are encouraging communication around sexual consent through a new campaign aimed at post-secondary students and the public.
 
The campaign "#DoYouTalkConsent?" is a partnership between Fleming, Trent, the Kawartha Sexual Assault Centre (KSAC), and PARN: Your Community AIDS Resource Network, and includes a series of posters and a video.

Here is one of the posters...


 
“We want to encourage people to have more communication around sexual consent and what that looks like in practice,” says Amie Kroes, Fleming College’s Student Rights and Responsibilities Officer. “Negotiation of consent, specifically in situations where one or both parties have been consuming alcohol, can get complicated. Seeing positive, pro-social messaging around how to negotiate consent in those cases is our goal.”
 
“Helping students find the language to negotiate consent is an important part of sexual assault prevention,” adds Ruth Walker, clinical team leader, Health Services at Trent University. “We are also proud of the collaboration between our post-secondary institutions, student unions, KSAC, and PARN, which reflects our community-wide efforts to address the issue of sexual violence.”
 
The posters feature three scenarios—two at a bar and one at a home—in which two acquaintances are depicted in conversation. They have met through friends at a bar, and throughout the night begin to negotiate sexual consent.

“As opposed to a message of ‘you must get consent,’ we are attempting to take the conversation one step further and show examples of how one may negotiate consent,” says Kroes.
 
“So often we hear the messages of ‘No Means No,’ but what if we never hear ‘No’? What are some of the other ways that indicate that there may be a question of sexual consent?” asks Lisa Clarke, Community Engagement Manager at Kawartha Sexual Assault Centre.

The posters will be shared on campuses, as well as on social media. The video will be shared on the social media accounts of the campaign partners, and elsewhere. You can watch it below...

DoYouTalkConsent? #TrentTalksConsent #FlemingTalksConsent is a video initiative to encourage the Peterborough and the Kawarthas community to think about the times when sexual consent may be in question, like when drinking alcohol and meeting someone new, and using 'consent' in our everyday language.

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Brock Mission And Cameron House Hosting Coldest Night Of The Year Walkathon February 25th

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Brock Mission and Cameron House are hosting the "Coldest Night Of The Year" (CNOY) walkathon in Peterborough this year. They are joining more than 100 communities across Canada to raise awareness and funds in the fight to end the homelessness.

Brock Mission and Cameron House have received operating grants from CNOY for the past five years—the more successful the walk, the larger the grants available.

Team Cameron House with Bill McNabb, Executive Director of Brock Mission

Coldest Night of the Year takes place Saturday, February 25th. Registration for participants opens at 4 p.m. on the 25th at the (almost) vacated 217 Murray Street location across from the Armouries.

Participants on the walk route.

A warm, light meal will be provided upon the walkers return. Pledge forms and the information needed to register can be found at coldestnightoftheyear.org.

Please spread the word.

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Nominations For Peterborough Civic Awards Now Open

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The nomination process for the annual City of Peterborough Civic Awards has begun and will continue until March 3rd at 4:30 p.m. The awards recognize and honour local citizens who did oustanding achievements in 2016, from volunteers to sports achievers to people in arts and culture.

You can nominate a deserving individual or group online here, or printed packages are available at City Hall (500 George St. North).

The awards ceremony takes place June 6th.

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Peterborough Police Unveil New Door Hanger That Rotary Club Funded

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The Peterborough Police Service has produced a new door hanger that will be used by their officers while canvassing during an investigation or when attending a call for service when there is no answer.

Here is what it looks like...

Communicating with members of the community is crucial to the Police Service. The new door hanger is another simple and effective way they can communicate with the public by leaving a notice for someone who is not home with the appropriate information so that they can respond.

Here is what the back of the hangar looks like...

Funding for this project was generously provided by the Peterborough Rotary Club. Police tweeted out thanks...

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Peterborough Police Traffic Management Unit Launches Targeted Offences For 2017

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The Peterborough Police Service Traffic Management Unit is launching a new initiative for 2017 where specific offences will be targeted each month. These targeted offences are in addition to current and ongoing traffic initiatives including the Top 10 Worst Intersections For Collisions, heavy vehicle details and vehicle inspection initiatives.

“All the initiatives are designed to educate the public while providing enforcement with the goal to make all roadways safer for everyone who uses them,” says Peterborough Police Service Traffic Management Sergeant Jeff Chartier.

For the month of January, the focus is on cracking down on the misuse of accessible parking permits.

“Legislation states that only the person named on the accessible parking permit is allowed to use the permit and the accessible parking spot,” explains Sergeant Chartier. “This ensures those accessible parking spaces that are both safe and accommodating are readily available to those that really need them. If another person uses the permit, it can result in fines of up to $5,000 and the permit may be seized.”

Below is the full list of offences that will be targeted each month in 2017...

January Accessible Parking Permit. Traffic officers will visit various parking lots with the intent to enforce the accessible parking permit legislation. This legislation indicates that only the person named on the accessible parking permit is permitted to use the parking permit and accessible parking spots. For more information please click here.

February Distracted Driving. Traffic officers will focus on distracted driving including cellphones, GPS use and entertainment devices

March School Crossing Guards/School Bus infractions. Officers will focus on offences relating to school crossing guards and the requirement to make certain the intersection is clear before entering the crosswalk and motorists disobeying school bus lights.

April Traffic Lights. Officers will focus on motorists who disobey red light and amber lights.

May National Road Safety Week – Officers will focus on the unsafe driving practices as identified by the Canada Safety Council.

June Emergency Vehicles. Officers will focus on motorists approaching, in the same direction, an Emergency vehicle with their emergency lights flashing who do not slow down and pass the emergency vehicle with caution. Emergency vehicles are defined as Police, Fire, Ambulance and Tow vehicles.

July Officers will focus on speed enforcement

August Distracted Driving. Traffic officers will focus on distracted driving including cellphones, GPS use and entertainment devices

September School Crossing Guards/School Bus infractions. Officers will focus on offences relating to school crossing guards and the requirement to make certain the intersection is clear before entering the crosswalk and motorists disobeying school bus lights.

October Operation Impact. Officers will focus on offences as identified by the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police with particular attention on Thanksgiving weekend.

November Intersection/Sign offences. Officers will focus on intersection related offences, including traffic lights and stop/yield signs, speed signs, etc.

December Impaired Driving. Officers will be focused on alcohol and drug impaired offences.

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Boxer Cody Crowley Raising Money For Hospice Peterborough At Pizza Hut In Honour Of Anita Blackbourn

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Cody Crowley, a professional boxer from Douro with a record of 10-0, is giving back to the Peterborough community in a big way. The Las Vegas-based boxer is helping to raise funds for Hospice Peterborough in honour of Anita Blackbourn, who lost her battle with cancer last October.

Cody Crowley (picture via Twitter)

Crowley is appearing at Pizza Hut (901 Lansdowne St.) this Wednesday (January 4th) from 4:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. to raise funds for Hospice Peterborough Care Centre. He'll be there to sign autographs and take pictures with fans.

Chris and Anita Blackbourn—who passed away in October 2016—pictured with their daughters

Anita Blackbourn's husband, Chris, is business partner at the Pizza Hut location that he runs with co-owner Marc Hartenberg.

Pizza Hut will donate 10 percent of all sales that day to Hospice Peterborough and people will be able to add their own donation at the location as well.

Please share on your social media channels to spread the word about this great cause, and drop by Pizza Hut this Wednesday.

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