Faith Dickinson Just Received A Legacy Award From Prince Harry & Prince William

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Faith Dickinson was one of 20 young recipients from around the world who was at St. Jame's Palace in London, England on Thursday (May 18th) to receive a Legacy Award established in memory of Princess Diana.

Faith (Far Right) Pictured With Will (Photo via @DianaAward)

The Grade 9 student at TASSS in Peterborough met Prince William and Prince Harry, who presented her with the award, which goes to children making a monumental impact on society. Faith, 14, was recognized for her Cuddles for Cancer initiative, a charity she started when she was 9-years-old that gives personalized fleece blankets to cancer patients, veterans and soldiers.

Among many other accolades in recent years, Faith was also winner of a Me To We Youth In Action Award in 2015, and is the Youth Ambassador (a newly created role) on the United Way Peterborough campaign cabinet this year.


Here she is pictured with Will and Harry...

Picture via @KengsingtonRoyal

"It was so surreal meeting the Princes today, it was a dream come true," Faith tells PTBOCanada. "It was incredible to hear then talk about their Mom from such a personable point of view. I got to meet them half an hour before the ceremony and spend some time with them—they were both so nice and caring. Prince William really spent time talking to me. He is an advocate for cancer research so it was really nice to talk to him."

At the presentation, Prince Harry joked with Faith that she was the most talented fellow redhead in the room.

The Diana Award official Twitter account tweeted out about the reference...

Kensington Palace tweeted out a group photo of the recipients, including Faith (bottom row, at far right)...

People magazine also did a profile on her and the other recipients, and tweeted out about it...

Her parents, Mike and Carrie, tell PTBOCanada the past couple days have been "quite the adventure" for them and Faith.

"We are incredibly proud of Faith and the work she does to support her community," they say. "She genuinely cares about people. To be associated with Princess Diana is the highest honour she could possibly receive!"

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The Amazing Backstory On The Wheelchair Accessible Swings Being Installed At Riverview Park & Zoo

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James and Jennifer Todd had a dream to have wheelchair accessible swings be installed at Riverview Park & Zoo's playground area, and that dream is now becoming a reality.

"We're hoping to have the swings installed and ready for use in about two weeks," the Zoo's Manager & Curator Jim Moloney tells PTBOCanada. "The swings were completely paid for with funds raised by James and Jennifer, who spearheaded this project."

James Todd tells PTBOCanada how the couple came up with the idea to do this:

"Two years ago, we were planning a picnic at the zoo for us and some friends, and my wife realized that our one friend Jenn had a son in a wheelchair. We started asking ourselves what was really offered for him to enjoy there on the playground.

That is when we decided that Peterborough needed wheelchair swings. We phoned the zoo, and talked with the curator Jim about possibilities. That day, a GoFundMe campaign was started, and we figured we'd help with raising maybe $1,000 towards some new swings.

I received an email the next day from Ed Arnold from the Examiner and learned that the pro hockey alumni was donating $2,500 to the cause. Mr. Arnold's article on that Monday morning sparked another $1,000 anonymous donation and started the GoFoundMe getting a lot of attention, including the CBC in Toronto.

A collection at a Peterborough Lakers game generated a fair bit, as well as another anonymous donation of $2,500, and a major donation from the Fowlers Lions/Lioness weekly cruise night. We received donations from as far as New Jersey, and before we knew it, we were over $16,500! We had landscaping donated as well to remove a tree where the swings are being installed.

The zoo still has a cost for fencing, fixing asphalt and the ground covering, so any donations are still extremely appreciated, and can be arranged through the Zoo."
 

Todd tells PTBOCanada he knew it would be a challenge for these swings to be created, but is ecstatic with the results and how the community got behind this:

"We couldn't be happier at the work of the curator Jim, and the swing manufacturer for making this happen. We cannot wait to see people from all over use these swings.

In some cases, it will be the first time a child, teen, or an adult has ever been on a swing."

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About $10,000 Raised For 2017 Walk So Kids Can Talk Supporting Kids Help Phone

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Despite the cold weather, more than 50 people showed up to Nicholls Oval on Sunday (May 7th) in Peterborough to participate in the 2017 Walk So Kids Can Talk supporting Kids Help Phone.

Walkers make their way around the route, braving the cold Weather. (Photo by Daniel Sky Morris)

Together, walkers raised approximately $10,000 to support youth across Canada and ensure they never have to feel alone.

"It was amazing to see different pieces of the community come together with a united passion for supporting youth," says Beth McClelland, one of the organizers.

The Peterborough Petes' Roger the Dog visits with two young walkers. (Photo by Daniel Sky Morris)

This year's walk included a visit from Roger the Dog of the Peterborough Petes, entertainment by the James Strath PS Drumline, and generous donations from Sobeys on Lansdowne, Boston Pizza, Nestle, Long & McQuade and Active Minds at Trent.

The Walk was also lucky to once again have support from BMO, Kal Tire and Bell Media.

The James Strath PS Drumline hypes up the walkers. (Photo by Daniel Sky Morris)

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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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