Holiday Shopping Passports are Back to Support Local Christmas Shopping

Holiday Shopping Passports are back in Peterborough and are available at 150 participating shops, boutiques, salons, restaurants, and cafes in downtown Peterborough.

Jennie Moore won the Holiday Shopping Passport early bird draw in 2020. Photo courtesy of The Boro.

Shoppers will earn a passport stamp for every $10 you spent locally in downtown Peterborough. Each completed Holiday Shopping Passport increases the chance to win up to $1,500 in Boro gift cards.

The Holiday Shopping Passport program rewards people for shopping, dining, and enjoying downtown. Last year’s program saw shoppers stamp more than $2.5 million worth of Holiday Shopping Passports.

For every $100 spent locally, up to $48 stays in the community, compared to just $14 when shopping at big box stores.

“Every year our Holiday Shopping Passport program brings an excitable shopping buzz into our downtown core,” said Terry Guiel, Executive Director of the DBIA. “In order to combat online and big box shopping trends we have to support programming that celebrates the physical shopping experience. We are so excited to have the Holiday Shopping Passports back and love rewarding our shoppers during the holiday season.”

Shoppers are welcome to collect free stamps at the Peterborough Public Library, Peterborough and the Kawarthas Visitors Centre and The Boro Holiday Hub.

This years’ Passport will be sporting a new holiday graphic, and smaller purse-friendly design. Shoppers are encouraged to shop early to increase their chances of winning in one of the three early bird prizes for a $500 Boro gift card. Early bird draw dates will take place on December 1, 8, & 15.

The final grand prize draw will take place after the holiday season on January 8 where one lucky passport holder will win a $1,500 Boro card shopping spree.

The City of Peterborough will be providing free 2-hour parking in the downtown beginning Black Friday (Nov. 26) until the end of December courtesy of Wolfe Lawyers.

For more information on this year’s Holiday Shopping Passport program visit www.theboro.ca

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Local Veteran Lee-Anne Quinn Shares Remembrance Day from her Perspective

Honourary Lieutenant Colonel Lee-Anne Quinn served in the Canadian Armed Forces for 23 years as an Air Medical Evacuation Nurse.

She was deployed in places like Former Yugoslavia, Somalia, Rwanda, Deer Lake and Fort Hope, Whitehorse and Afghanistan.

When she left the CAF in 2008, she immediately started working as a nurse practitioner in the civilian world.

Reflecting on her service, Quinn shares how important it is for her to make a difference in someone’s life each day.

“If I can’t make a difference for somebody else, it’s not a fulfilled day.”

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Lakefield WWII Veteran Arnold Graham Reflects on Remembrance Day

Arnold Graham, now a month shy of 96-years-old, enlisted with the 2nd (Reserve) Battalion, Prince of Wales Rangers (Peterborough Regiment) on Dec. 2, 1942, just ten days before his 17th birthday.

Left, Arnold Graham 1943, Royal Canadian Airforce (Photo courtesy of Lakefield War Vets) Right, Arnold at the Buckhorn Community Centre, 95 years old. Photo by Angela O’Grady

Graham, the youngest of twelve children born to Claire and Isaiah Graham, was the last of his six brothers to enlist in the army.

“I joined up when I was 17 years old,” he said. “My mother said she didn’t want me to go, but I said I want to go because I had six brothers fighting all over Europe and I want to help them get home a little sooner.”

Graham was released from the Reserve Service May 8, 1943 in order to enlist with the Royal Canadian Air Force.

Because he was not yet 18 his mother was required to provide a letter authorizing his entrance into the RCAF which she provided.

He got his wings in Quebec, then headed to England where he became part of an air crew flying Lancaster four engine bombers.

Graham joined the 433 Squadron of the RCAF, the “Porcupines”, Bomber Command, and became a Flight Sergeant Air Gunner.

The 433 Porcupine Bomber Squadron’s 1st Op was on Jan 2, 1944 (mining) and the last Op was on Apr 25, 1945 (bombing). They flew 2,316 total sorties with a 90.07% success rate.

During one particular mission with the 433 Porcupine Squadron on March 31, 1945 on Op 208 – Hamburg, a 500-bomber raid, set out with Mustang fighter escorts for the first time. F/Sgt Graham, manning the Mid/Upper Gun, was credited with shooting down an Me 262 Schwalbe (Swallow); the first German jet aircraft which had attacked 16 times in 9 minutes. He was the first Canadian Gunner to do so and also recorded the only kill for their Lancaster.

Pictured at the Remembrance Service at the Buckhorn Community Centre are Robert Ough, Arnold Graham and John Bannon, WWII Veteran. Photo by Angela O’Grady.

When Graham reflects on his time in the air force, he recalls his mother.

“My mother was a widow,” he said. “She walked to the post office every day, never missed a day, to get a letter from one of her boys. When she met me when I came home and got off the train in Peterborough she looked at me and said ‘Oh my baby’s home’. I was her baby.”

He also recalls the men he served with in the Air Force.

“I had 13 brothers that I fought with during the war. My own six brothers, and seven in the Air Force. Everytime I go to the Cenotaph on Remembrance Day I start to cry.”

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The Significance of the Poppy Campaign in Canada

Each year from the last Friday in October until Remembrance Day many Canadians dawn red poppies on their lapel.

The real poppy became widespread in Europe after soils in France and Belgium became rich in lime from debris and rubble from the fighting during the First World War. These little red flowers also flourished around the gravesites of the war dead.

In 1915, John McCrae, a doctor serving with the Canadian Artillery, famously made note of this phenomenon in his poem, In Flanders Fields.

On Saturday November 9, 1918, two days before the Armistice, Moina Michael was on duty in the reading room at the YMCA Overseas War Secretaries’ headquarters in New York—a place where U.S. servicemen would often gather with friends and family to say their goodbyes before they went overseas.

After reading McCrae’s poem, Moina made a personal pledge to always wear the red poppy of Flanders Fields as a sign of remembrance and for “keeping the faith with all who died.”

In 1920, Anna Guérin—the French Poppy Lady—attended the national American Legion convention as a representative of France’s YMCA Secretariat. She was inspired by Moina Michael’s idea of the poppy as a memorial flower and felt that the scope of the Memorial Poppy could be expanded to help the needy.

She suggested that artificial poppies could be made and sold as a way of raising money for the benefit of orphaned children and others who had suffered greatly as a result of the war.

In 1921, Madame Guérin visited Canada and convinced the Great War Veterans Association of Canada (predecessor to the Royal Canadian Legion) to adopt the poppy as a symbol of remembrance in aid of fundraising; which it did on July 5th of that year.

Today, the Poppy Campaign is one of the Royal Canadian Legion’s most important programs. The money raised from donations provides direct assistance for Veterans in financial distress, as well as funding for medical equipment, medical research, home services, long term care facilities and many other purposes.

The Poppy can be worn every day of the campaign. Often people place their poppy on a wreath or at the base of the cenotaph or memorial as a sign of respect at the end of the Remembrance Day ceremony.

The poppy may be worn at commemorative events throughout the year, such as anniversaries of significant battles, a memorial service, and other similar occasions. It is suggested that event organizers seek advice from the Royal Canadian Legion before using the Poppy outside of the campaign.

The Royal Canadian Legion suggests that the poppy be worn on the left lapel of a garment and as close to the heart as possible.

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Douro-Dummer Celebrates Cenotaph's Century Milestone with Online Ceremony

Douro-Dummer is going virtual for a second consecutive year with a Remembrance Day tribute to be streamed through Youtube for Thursday.

DOURO-DUMMER MAYOR J. MURRAY JONES NARRATED THE DOURO-DUMMER WAR MEMORIAL VIDEO ON THE TOWNSHIP’S YOUTUBE VIDEO DAYS LEADING UP TO THE EVENT. PHOTO BY DAVID TUAN BUI.

The pre-recorded video is made up of help from the township’s community and local notables to honour the 100th anniversary of the cenotaph.

The ceremony will be aired starting at roughly 10:45 a.m. this Thursday.

Students from St. Joseph’s C.E.S. and Warsaw Public School were invited to be a part of the video ceremony to get them actively involved in the day of recognition for veterans according to Mayor J. Murray Jones.

“That is the most important part of it all is to inject them with this spirit of Remembrance Day,” he said. “Years going by, we don’t want to see that going why so that’s why we included them in our video, our virtual service.”

The Remembrance Day Ceremony organizers will have personnel on-site at the cenotaph but encourage everyone to view the online ceremony if possible. The in-person event consists of a lowering of the flag, a reading of “In Flanders Fields” and a two-minute moment of silence.

A link to the video will be provided in November on the Township’s website www.dourodummer.ca.

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Community Care Seeking Nominations For "Grandparent of the Year" From Children

Kids grade 2-6 have a chance to highlight their elders through Community Care Peterborough in the “Grandparent of the Year” contest for the 35th rendition announced on Wednesday.

“Every year we are amazed by the scope of stories we have received,” said Danielle Belair, Community Care executive director. “Many of the honorees are indeed grandparents or great grandparents of the students however there have been a number of entries that highlight an Elder or special senior friend as well.”

Community Care has three categories to highlight the relationships with the special people in our children’s lives. They are: English language, French language and Indigenous entries.

“Teachers in the City and County of Peterborough have had the opportunity to use the contest as a writing assignment for their students,” said Belair. “We also recognize that not all teachers will know about this opportunity so we opening it up to the public too and will accept entries until December 3rd. If your child is in grades 2 to 6 and not participating with their class, you can enter their story and picture too.”

A committee will select one winner and one honourable mention from each group of grades; primary and junior and each category. (Primary is Grades 2 & 3. Junior is Grades 4, 5, & 6)

Community Care would like the student to include the following information in their submission:

• What they think is important about their relationship with their grandparent, elder or special older person.

• What kinds of activities are done together?

• What kind of knowledge have they shared?

• Describe a happy occasion the student and their nominee shared.

• How does their nominee make them feel when you are together?

• Why they are proud of their nominee?

• Why does the student think their nominee should win this award?

• A hand-drawn picture of the student and their nominee together.

Optional: A student can submit a recorded video of them reading their story. This is not required and will not affect judging.

“This 'SMILES ALL AROUND’ event is too important to our community to cancel,” said Belair. “It's more important than ever to share some positive stories about important people who are in our lives.”

All entries must be received by Dec. 3rd. Entries may be submitted by mail:

Community Care

185 Hunter Street East

Peterborough, ON

K9H 0H1

Attn: Tracy Kennedy.

They can also be submitted by email to tkennedy@commcareptbo.org.

Winners will be announced in mid-February.

For parent entry forms or more information about the Grandparent of the Year event visit this link.

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Local Organizations Receive Vital Community Grants to Combat COVID-19 Inequality

The Community Foundation of Greater Peterborough (CFGP) announced on Tuesday that Vital Community Grants totaling $90,000 will go to nine local organizations whose work focuses on supporting equity-deserving people who have been disproportionately impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Photo courtesy of The Community Foundation of Greater Peterborough.

This year’s Vital Community Grants theme was an “Equitable COVID-19 Recovery”.

CFGP notes that some people have been disproportionately affected by COVID-19 relative to others. Indigenous people, women, youth, people with disabilities and others facing systemic inequality have experienced a heightened chance of exposure to the virus, social isolation, lack of access to food, services and education, worse health outcomes, and adverse financial repercussions.

Nine local charities led by, serving and focused on equity deserving groups were invited to a participatory granting circle to discuss their applications and allocate the available funds. Participatory grantmaking is a decision-making process that invites those who are most knowledgeable about an issue to identify priorities and direct the available funds.

The recipients of 2021 Vital Community Grants are:

Heads Up for Inclusion

To support the Community Amigos Program by providing space for connection to reduce social isolation for people living with disabilities

Kawartha-Haliburton Children’s Foundation

To support programs for in-care youth transitioning to independent living

Niijkiwendidaa Anishnaabekwewag Services Circle

To reverse the damage that was caused by residential schools and the pandemic by bringing in Elders and Traditional Knowledge Holders as well as language speakers

Peterborough AIDS Resource Network (PARN)

To assist in the reduction of financial and socio-economic barriers to people needing to engage in PARN’s programs and services

The Council for Persons with Disabilities

To engage more young people living with disabilities

The Elizabeth Fry Society of Peterborough

To launch and support a group counselling program that supports mothers and birthing parents who have lost custody of their children

TRACKS Youth Program (Trent Aboriginal Cultural Knowledge and Science)

To provide resources, workshops and activities to Indigenous youth living in the seven Williams Treaties First Nations in Ontario at no cost

YES Shelter for Youth and Families

To support the RISE Youth Housing program that helps youth between 16 and 24 resolve homelessness and find stability 

YWCA Peterborough Haliburton – Nourish Project

To support its civic literacy work including programs like Hungry for Income, a food insecurity training series

Donations to the COVID-19 Community Response Fund are still being accepted by the Community Foundation and will continue to be used to support charities with their pandemic recovery work https://cfgp.ca/project/covid/.

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Peterborough Pathway of Fame Thanks Supporters and is Searching for New Committee Members

The Peterborough Pathway of Fame issued a statement thanking it’s dedicated individuals who have supported the organization, on Thursday.

Photo courtesy of the Pathway of Fame.

Wellington (Wimpy) Borland of Peterborough has tirelessly served the Pathway for a number of years, assuming various roles along the way including, but not limited to the coveted, ‘bell-ringing’ position of ‘Speech Timing Tech.’

Garry and Ruth Johnson of Peterborough have recently stepped away from the Facilitating Committee, but will continue to assist on-site for the annual Induction Ceremony at the Showplace Performance Center each September.

Pam Partridge will continue to support advertising sales in the annual Footprints of Life magazine – a major source of The Pathways funding – from Eastern Canada, to which she has relocated.

The Pathway of Fame is actively seeking community-minded citizens interested in serving on our Facilitating Committee, and welcomes David Goyette as a director. Mr. Goyette is a recent inductee to The Pathway, joining the august group this year.

They are also seeking a qualified individual to serve as the organization’s Treasurer, effective the first of January. The position would be voluntary.

Interested individuals are asked to contact Gordon Gibb, Communications Liaison, via email gordon.gibb@bell.net

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The Christmas Spirit Will Look Different in Warsaw This Year With No Parade

The Douro-Dummer Santa Claus Parade committee has announced that the Christmas spirit is coming to Warsaw in a different way this year.

Photo courtesy of the Township of Douro-Dummer.

While traditionally they would host a parade and tree lighting ceremony, this year they will be handing out Christmas treat bags.

Bags will be handed out at the Township office at 894 South St. in Warsaw on Nov. 27 between 5 and 6 p.m.

Those participating should stop at the curb by the front door and stay in their vehicle, where a Christmas helper will deliver the treats.

If participants are walking they can go to the door to get their treats.

In 2019, the committee made a request for donations of mitts, hats and scarves, which resulted in a great outpouring of support from the community. These donations were then split between Warsaw Public School and St. Joseph’s Catholic Elementary School.

This year the committee is asking for donations again. Hand made items or purchased items can be brought to the Township office until Dec. 10 (please put them in a plastic bag). They will be sorted and taken to the schools when classes return in early January.

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Hometown PTBO: Shared Dreams Of Men Being Able To Live On Their Own For the First Time

This week on Hometown PTBO, Pete Dalliday talks with some parents of "Shared Dreams," men who are able to live on their own for the first time in the new Mount Community Centre.

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