Video: Awesome "Stayin' Alive" Flash Mob In PRHC Cafeteria Today For Closer Campaign
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[Kruz Cam with Pete Dalliday; Closer Campaign; PRHC; Peterborough Examiner]
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Peterborough Blogs
PtboCanada Was There: Canadian Canoe Museum Welcomes Peterborough Paddling Club
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Last night, the Canadian Canoe Museum hosted the inaugural membership event for the Peterborough Paddling Club. Local author and canoe expert Kevin Callan and the Kawartha Highlands Signature Site Park Superintendent, Paul Smith, both were speakers.Peterborough Paddling Club (PPC) is looking to bring together the local paddling community and promote the healthy pastime with local excursions. Starting May 11th, the PPC will be holding Wednesday night local paddling trips to destinations such as Omemee-Emily Park, Lakefield Beach and Marsh, Stoney Lake, Young's Point, Warsaw/Indian River, Coon Lake, Otonabee River and Lovesick Lake. There will also be multi-day excursions in the Kawartha Highlands Signature Site Park this year. Sign up on their webpage to attend these events.
Kevin Callan signing his latest book "Top 50 Canoe Routes of Ontario"
[Contributed by PtboCanada's Evan Holt]
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What It Was Like To Take Part In Kirk Wipper Memorial Portage
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Alana and Kyla, pictured at far left
It started out as a quick message asking about a Kirk Wipper Memorial Portage and would I be interested in participating. We were a group of Ontario Educators (aka "edutweeps") along with our families, who were immediately enchanted with being a part of this memorable portage that would end up at the Canadian Canoe Museum in Peterborough in time to mark the beginning of the Kirk Wipper public memorial.
Andy, Ross, Ryan, Jeff, Nick, Colin, Lynn, Anna, Kyla (my daughter) and I were a small but mighty team who were responsible for the first leg of the Peterborough leg of the portage. We all walked the portage and while the boys carried the canoe, Kyla and I had the chance to walk and talk with one of the organizers, Tim
McDonagh, and heard about his connection to Kirk, what the canoe meant to him, and how much he enjoyed walking with the canoe and meeting the people who had come out to participate in the portage.
Our leg of the portage was about 6 km (Hwy 28 starting at Springville United Church, up to Sir Sandford Fleming Drive, across and right onto Dobbin Road finishing at Lansdowne). After the canoe left us, I’m not
sure who carried the canoe or what their adventure entailed but I can tell you it was fun to participate in the memorial portage and be with friends who love to paddle, love to get involved, and are fun to be with. I'd like to think Kirk Wipper would have totally approved of our crew!
On a personal note, my daughter Kyla was the youngest person to carry the canoe and she was very proud to add her signature to the paddle that was given to his wife Ann Wipper after the memorial service. Although Kyla took some convincing to actually help carry the canoe, she was mighty proud to share her story with her dad at the end of the day.
For more pics from the day, click here and here.
[KirkWipper.ca; Canadian Canoe Museum]
[Contributed by PtboCanada's Alana Callan; photo via Flickr]
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Peterborough Downtown Farmers' Market Kicks Off Season This Wednesday!
/How many of us have been craving the sights, sounds, and smells of the outdoor downtown Farmers' Market? Well the wait is over! This Wednesday (May 4th), the market kicks off the season at the Louis Street Parking Lot. Each Wednesday until October 5th, it runs from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.
What is your weekly must-have item from the market?
[Peterborough Downtown Farmers' Market]
[Contributed by PtboCanada's Julie Morris]
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Peterborough Workplace Transportation Challenge "Shifting Gears" Kicks Off On Sunday
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Another season of the workplace transportation challenge Shifting Gears begins Sunday for the full month of May. The focus of the campaign is to encourage you to bike, walk, carpool, or use public transportation to get to and from work each day. Have you and your workplace registered yet?
[Contributed by PtboCanada's Julie Morris]
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Peterborough Speakers Series "Visionaries of Change" A True Inspiration
/ Honourable Peter Adams |
Recently, the Peterborough Speakers Series "Visionaries of Change" presented by the Greater Peterborough Health Services Foundation took place at The Venue. Seven speakers from the local area brought their personal stories of belief, courage, and inspiration to the stage to share with an audience of about 150 people. This event, which will now become an annual thing, raises funds for the five local Peterborough Networked Family Health Teams. |
Tracey Groombridge with Laura Kennedy & Julie Brown
Katherine sharing her stories about her trek to Mt. EverestI had the opportunity to sit down and chat with Katherine Barron, who at 16 years old completed the Everest Base Camp Trek in October 2010. Katherine joined the Royal Canadian Army Cadets at age 12 after hearing a presentation and immediately knew it was the right fit for her. She discussed her challenges and triumphs that she faced as she prepared for such an experience not even knowing yet whether she'd be one of the 16 people chosen. Once chosen, anticipation and nervousness grew and even the day of departure they all had to pass one last fitness test before boarding the airplane—which unfortunately sent two people returning home. Katherine set off on this once-in-a-lifetime journey for 17 days. Throughout the trek, there was a constant rollercoaster of emotions and physical exhaustion with the long days, illness and lower oxygen levels with being at such a high altitude. Katherine hopes by sharing her story of the difference cadets has made in her life and the opportunities she has had will encourage other youth to join and discover the discipline and dedication she has experienced.
John Hastings chatting with guests from the evening.Canadian Kayak National Team member John Hastings captivated the audience with footage of his kayak journeys over the years and how driven he's been to pursue his dreams, despite the challenges that he has faced. Yet he continues to strive harder to accomplish all the goals he has set for himself.
I was so honoured to be in the company of such wonderful people for the evening. It was definitely a reminder that we are capable of being resilient and to not let obstacles we are faced with force us to give up. Rather, those obstacles should only be a motivator to get the best out of what life has to offer us.
Thank you to all who made this event happen and I already look forward to next year's event and the stories that will be shared to inspire us all.
[Contributed by PtboCanada's Julie Morris]
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Kawartha Turtle Trauma Centre Hosting Fundraising Yard Sale Saturday
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[Contributed by PtboCanada's Julie Morris]
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Fleming Says Bye Bye to Water Bottles On Earth Day (First College In Canada To Do So)
/Fleming College had a decision on its hands when its food services contract was going to run out. When deciding on how to proceed with something as simple as providing water to the students, the push to cut down on the waste that plastic water bottles caused was already in motion. A marketing campaign had been started by students to encourage using more tap water, but as the students graduated, the campaign lost some steam.
In 2009, however, Fleming Go Club (Green Objectives) took the initiative to continue the campaign and take it a step further—to remove plastic water bottles all together. Fleming Student Council started by going bottle free and from there in January 2010 began on a larger campaign. The Lindsay Frost Campus also started discussing going water bottle free. Fleming Go pitched their petition and proposal to the executive and it was accepted, which means on April 22nd, Earth Day marks the first day no bottled water will be sold at Fleming—making it the first college in Canada to ban the sale of bottled water.
A reverse osmosis station was built (see pics below) and now Fleming is the first Canadian school to implement one full time. Students can now fill up their own containers for free at any time.
[Contributed by PtboCanada's Evan Holt]
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Roller Derby Makes Their Pitch To City Of Peterborough
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Cindy Moffitt discusses Roller Derby with the committee, with team members there for support.
Last night, the new Peterborough Roller Derby league sat down with the Peterborough City Arenas, Parks and Recreation Advisory Committee in a meeting to give them a sense of what their sport brings to the community, and to try and secure a local venue to play at. Roller Derby founder Cindy Moffitt (aka "Lucid Lou") says the games would bring revenue to the city not only in ticket sales, but from opposing teams who would need lodging and food. Plus, "girls like to shop!", adds Moffitt. Even though it is considered an "extreme sport", the current style of Flat Track Roller Derby isn't as aggressive or related to the poor image of Roller Derby of old, Moffitt conveys.
Ken Doherty, Director of Community Services, was very interested in the dimensions of the playing field as he had a few potential places in mind in the city. The main issue, however, is that Peterborough's arenas are 97 percent booked during peak hours (3 p.m. to 11 p.m.). There is potential to secure a venue down the road as the City assesses whether to add a second pad at the Memorial Centre or when future arenas are built. But that might not happen for a long time.
The committee will now convene and review the findings from the meeting and see what they can do.
[Contributed by PtboCanada's Evan Holt]
[Related: Peterborough Roller Derby Fundraiser May 7 At The Red Dog; Why Peterborough Roller Derby Can't Find A Venue To Play In City (And More News On This Growing Sport); PtboPics: Peterborough Roller Derby League Roll Into Second Practice; EXCLUSIVE: PtboCanada Reveals The Logo For The Peterborough Roller Derby League; Awesome Trailer Promoting Peterborough Roller Derby League]
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