Trent Student Launches GoFundMe Page To Help Her Struggling Boyfriend Stay In Fleming College

Tadashi & Brittany

Brittany Holmes, a Trent University student, has launched a GoFundMe campaign to help her struggling boyfriend, Tadashi Ridout, be able to stay in school at Fleming College. Tadashi is running out of money but desperately wants to stay at Fleming and complete his education. Brittany, who launched the campaign several months, reached out to PTBOCanada now to spread the word about the campaign—which thus far has raised just $200 of her $5,000 goal.

"With upcoming fee deadlines weeks away, my goal is to get this campaign out there," she says.

"As outlined on my campaign, I met Tadashi two years ago, and he has been struggling to finance his education. Ever since Tad was a child, with only the support of a single parent, he and his family have struggled to make ends meet financially. When he was 16 years old, he was left with nothing but the clothes on his back, and has been self-supporting since—working part-time jobs."

"Tadashi has always talked about wanting to get a college education and his desire to create a better future for himself," she tells us. He is enrolled at Fleming in their Business program and is in the process of completing his first semester of classes, and hoping to return for second semester if he has enough money.

"With hours hard to come by in these winter months, and with the loss of his second job, he is struggling to cover his cost of living (rent, utilities, food), let alone his educational fees," Brittany says. Furthermore, his government funding has been put on hold due to some red tape policies. He continually worries that he will not be able to afford the education he deserves and desires.

"I wish to raise money to help ease the pressure Tadashi faces, so that he can focus on his education and his future," says Brittany. "He is incredibly hard working, and it's heartbreaking to see his financial status stand between him and his goals. I want to alleviate the financial stress that Tadashi feels is a burden to our future together."

"Tadashi is my best friend, the love of my life, and I want nothing more than to be able to support him. Unfortunately, being a student myself, I am unable to do so on my own."

If you're interested in helping donate to Brittany's campaign for Tadashi to keep him in school, click here for info.

"My goal is to raise $5,000, with any additional funds raised to be donated to other campaigns of similar nature," Brittany tells PTBOCanada.

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GoFundMe Page Set Up For Young Boy Fighting For His Life #PrayForParker

Parker Fulford is a very young boy from Peterborough who has overcome many struggles since being born premature, at only 23 weeks, in February 2012. The latest is very severe, as he has been airlifted from PRHC to Toronto Sick Kids with an extreme case of pneumonia. Parker, who has cerebral palsy, is in critical condition in hospital.

A GoFundMe page has been set up by James Todd to help the parents Jennifer and Mike Fulford with the costs they will incur due to travel to Toronto, losing income, food costs, etc., that add to an already stressful situation.

"I set up the GoFundMe page to do my part in helping them relieve some stress, because I know I'd hope for someone to do the same," James Todd, a father himself, tells us.

All funds collected will go to help the family cover costs. Click here to give, and use the hashtag #PrayForParker on Twitter and Facebook. 

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POSTPONED: Historical Jail Tour Of County Court House

[UPDATED: October 21st -> Please note that the County of Peterborough Historical Jail Tour for the United Way has been postponed until Spring.]

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This Thursday (October 23rd), there is a Historical Jail Tour of the County Court House starting at 7 p.m. The Tour is a County of Peterborough and Lang Pioneer Village Museum fundraising effort for the United Way of Peterborough. There are a limited number of tickets available. For details, call 705-743-0380 ext. 304, and see more info in poster below...

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Aunt Sets Up Online Fundraising Campaign For Peterborough Man After Serious Motorcycle Accident

photo of Travis Little via YouCaring.com page

Travis Little was seriously injured in a motorcycle accident last Friday (August 1st) after being struck by another vehicle on Lakefield Road.

Little was traveling home to Peterborough from work in Lakefield— planning a weekend of camping with his family—when the accident occured. Little was struck by another vehicle and pinned under a car, then airlifted to Sunnybrook Hospital in Toronto. He underwent a nine hour surgery to reconstruct his left leg, hip and pelvis. 

He now has a long road to recovery, and his Aunt Nancy has set up an online fundraising campaign for Travis and his family while they assist him with his recover. Her goal is to raise $10,000 for them, and so far about $1,150 has been raised. You can add to that amount here.

[YouCaring.com via @kruzFM]

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The Amazing Camp That Gives Hope To Those Who Have Lost Loved Ones

Peterborough's Shelley Hermer is Ontario Program Coordinator for Camp Kerry Society. Here, she gives us an insider look at the impact of Camp Kerry retreats in British Columbia—which use a holistic approach to bereavement care where emphasis is placed on healing both within and between families—and writes about the first Camp Kerry Ontario being established.

Camp Kerry offers family retreats and year-round support programs for children, youth and parents who are grieving the death of a loved one. The camp is named after British Columbian Kerry Kirstiuk, an inspiring mother of two young children, who lost her battle to colon cancer in 2006. Designed and overseen by family bereavement expert Dr. Heather Mohan, Camp Kerry began in 2007 as a pilot project after Kerry's husband Bob requested that donations in her memory be given to Dr. Mohan's program at Lions' Gate Hospital in North Vancouver. 

Shelley Hermer (above left) at Camp Kerry in BC

Dr. Mohan's response was immediate, fulfilling a long-standing dream to run a family bereavement camp. Since then, more than 150 families in British Columbia have benefited from these specialized services. In 2011, Camp Kerry officially separated from Lions Gate Hospital and was incorporated as an independent Canadian charity.

In 2011, I traveled to BC to volunteer at Camp Kerry and since then have been working towards bringing this exceptional and unique program to Ontario. With the approval of the Camp Kerry Society Board of Directors, we have set a goal to bring 10 Ontario families to the first Camp Kerry Ontario retreat in October 2014, held in the beautiful Haliburton Highlands.

Camp Kerry retreat in BC.

Parents often describe their biggest worry is that they—and their children—won’t recover from the loss of their loved one. They talk about the balance of needing to keep old memories alive and creating new ones. Children and parents convey their desire to see their family enjoy life.

Camp Kerry retreat in BC.

At the retreats, so much happens for families. Yes, there are tears—the Saturday evening memory service and Sunday afternoon message balloon release allow families the chance to openly remember their loved ones. Parents and children participate in groups led by professional therapists, providing opportunities to share and receive peer support. Key to the model is the therapeutic use of art, music and adventure challenges in a natural setting. In the words of one parent, "we experienced what we never thought possible."

Camp Kerry retreat in BC.

Fundraising and events to help raise awareness about this Camp Kerry Ontario retreat are in the works, involving support from and collaboration with Peterborough and area community organizations. If you would like to be part of the first Camp Kerry Ontario—either by offering financial support, assisting at events, volunteering your time, or if you simply would like more information—please contact me at shelley@campkerry.org.

—By Shelley Hermer

Here's some more pictures below from Camp Kerry in BC, as well as a YouTube video about the camp...

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Peterborough Mother Launches Indiegogo Campaign To Save Her Daughter From Dying Of Eating Disorder

Ingrid

[UPDATE: Huffington Post Canada picks up our story.]

Peterborough mother Susan Nelson has launched an impassioned Indiegogo campaign to help save her daughter Ingrid, who is fighting a serious Eating Disorder—and right now losing the battle.

Ingrid, 23, is in immediate need of being transferred from her current placement in a hospital in Ontario to a specialized residential ED program for life saving treatment. But Provincial Health Insurance does not cover residential treatment of Eating Disorders, so the family find themselves facing having to pay for Ingrid's treatment—something they simply can't afford to do.

The costs include four months at an Ontario residential treatment centre followed by months of private aftercare programs—both not covered by insurance. 

Susan says on the Indiegogo campaign that not being able to afford treatment for their daughter is simply "one of the worst feelings any parent can imagine. There's nothing left for us to do other than ask for help from our extended community and beyond."

Ingrid, who is afraid she is going to die from the disorder—"I am barely alive," she says—writes that "Without a program, my eating disorder is becoming stronger and more intense, and I feel increasingly hopeless and consumed by this disease. My illness has progressed to a level out of my control. Unfortunately, they aren't experienced with eating disorders here at the hospital and I have continued to decline both mentally and physically. It is difficult for me to write honestly about the state I am in right now, as a huge part of my illness tries to minimize and ignore the severity of its hold on my life. But I have to push myself to face this reality, and to make others aware of what is happening."

Just days into the campaign, the family has already raised nearly $8,000 of their $60,000 goal—with 44 days left in the campaign.  [**UPDATE January 16th: They've now raised close to $15,000.]

Make a difference: Help save Ingrid's life by donating to this campaign to raise money for the family to get her into the specialized program.

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Watch A Tug Of War Between Trent University & Fleming College

This battle took place to raise awareness for United Way Peterborough. Watch the epic showdown... 

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Riverview Zoo Holding Sloth Mania Fundraiser For Calgary Zoo

Riverview Park and Zoo is proud to announce a fundraising event in support of the Calgary Zoo’s 2 By 2 Rebuild the Zoo campaign. In June, Calgary Zoo suffered an estimated $50 million in damage due to a devastating flood when the Bow River overflowed its banks. The flood caused severe damage to most of the zoo and forced 34 animals out of their permanent exhibits. Within days after the flood, a call for help to CAZA (Canada’s Accredited Zoos and Aquariums) went out. Riverview Park and Zoo was selected to take Calgary’s two-toed sloths, Porsche and Ferrari.

“Sloth Mania” will be held on Saturday, October 19 from 11:00 am until 6:00 pm and will feature an afternoon schedule of special "Meet the Keeper" activities (including two sessions with the sloths), a barbeque, face painting, etc. There will also be raffles that  include opportunities to win a behind-the-scenes tour of the Park and Zoo as well as an up close and personal feeding encounter with Porsche and Ferrari. Donate online at here.

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