The Capital PTBO To Hold Inaugural Charity Home Run Derby For Local Sports Initiatives

Sports apparel store The Capital PTBO has announced its inaugural Home Run Derby to be held on Oct. 1 at the Kinsmen Arena ball diamond in support of local sports organizations.

Mark Million (pictured) opened The Capital PTBO in late January this year with his brother Justin. Photo by Luke Best.

The store is accepting registrations through social media private messages or by email at captain@thecapitalptbo.ca. The derby registration fee is $25 and requires participants to bring their own pitcher to throw the ball, slo-pitch style.

The all-ages event is capped at 40 batters each getting 10 pitches where the most home runs hit is declared the winner.

"This is an idea brought to us by Pete Dalliday which was an interaction brought to him by Colin Teskey and Jordan Mercier of Extra 90.5 Radio,” said Mark Million, Capital PTBO co-owner.

Prize structure, food vendors and charity proceed recipients will be announced at a later date. Million has confirmed monetary prizing and custom-made trophies for the winners. They also get their name on the store’s “Wall of Honour,” a banner hung from the store’s roof.

The event could be separated into age divisions however it is not confirmed what they are yet.

@ptbo_canada Need a place to hang out and do all things sports? The Capital PTBO invites you to relax, hang out and maybe shop while you are there! #PTBOCanada ♬ Smokin Out The Window - Bruno Mars & Anderson .Paak & Silk Sonic

Million had remarked that he opened his store as a sports hub for Peterborough and was community-oriented in a prior interview with PTBOCanada. He is seeking volunteers for the event as is confident they will help make it a success.

“We need a lot of help,” he explained. “One thing we have known in the last six months is that when we have put a call to action out, whether to build our lending library or people with their own sports mantles that they want to put on display, we've had people to volunteer to help us out. That's the Peterborough way.”

This event is only the beginning of a series of events Million’s store wants to do for the local community.

“The Home Run Derby is the tip of the iceberg,” he explained. “We'd love to run a street hockey tournament, we'd love to do a three-point contest; all these sorts of things where we can integrate in public spaces and not-for-profit, that's the key. Everything goes back into supporting youth sports and youth initiatives.”

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Photos: New Canadians Centre Hosts Picnic In The Park For New Community Members From Ukraine

The New Canadians Centre Peterborough invited new, Ukrainian members of the community and long time community members to a picnic at King Edward Park on Wednesday night to meet, chat and eat together.

The rain held off long enough for picnic goers to enjoy traditional Ukrainian foods like Bublik and cabbage rolls, as well as some Canadian staples.

In a release earlier this week NCC announced that they have served approximately 90 individuals to date.

Linda and Peter Adam, who have lived in Peterborough for most of their lives, opened their home to a young Ukrainian refugee, and were at the picnic on Wednesday.

“We saw in the news that there was a need for homes, and I just talked to Pete about it and responded the next day,” said Linda.

The couple has never done anything like this before, though Linda says they are both glad they did it.

“She has really brought a lot of life into our house.”

In response to the offers of support from the community, the NCC has worked with CCRC’s Housing Resource Centre to create a web listing for hosts to post their homestay offers and to support hosts with information and advice: https://www.ccrc-ptbo.com/home-together/ukraine/.

As Ukrainian families arrive in Peterborough NCC will update their ‘SoKind’ registry for items they need. The NCC is unable to store an excess of donated items, so they kindly ask for only items specified on the registry.

The Wellness Centre is hosting a Zumba Party in support of the New Canadians Centre on July 26 at 6:30 p.m..

Led by international zumba instructor Ricardo Marmittee, this is a pay what you can class with all proceeds going to support Ukrainians and other new comers to Peterborough.

To register make a donation to the New Canadians Centre noting ‘Zumba Fundraiser’ the donation will act as a ticket.

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Community Care Apsley Awarded Volunteer Of The Year After Supporting Community Through Loss Of Grocery Store

Community Care’s Apsley service office accepted the 2022 Community Volunteer of the Year Award from the Township of North Kawartha at the recent Peterborough County Recognition Awards Ceremony.

Some Community Care volunteers in Apsley and North Kawartha accepting certificate to display in their space. Cathy Leard, Chris Evans, Holly Hilker, Mary Hall and Sue McKinlay. Photo courtesy of Community Care Apsley office.

In December 2020, a fire destroyed the main grocery store in Apsley, leaving many community members without easy access to groceries.

“North Kawartha recognized the efforts of our staff, volunteers and donors who supported the community through the loss of its only grocery store,” said Katie Bryck, Community Care’s Community Development Coordinator in Apsley. “Our Be A Lifeline campaign provided enhanced support to residents throughout this Township to ensure that they had access to food sources.”

Apsley area volunteers worked to support clients and local residents by providing additional transportation to grocery stores in Bancroft and Lakefield. They also did many grocery shopping trips for clients with limited mobility, delivering the groceries they needed directly to their homes. They also ensured that Meals on Wheels was not disrupted, and that freezers were full during the winter months.

“This award is dedicated to our kind, generous and dedicated volunteers,” said Bryck. “We appreciate all our volunteers continue to do for our community and we cannot thank them enough. Thank you, Township of North Kawartha and Peterborough County for this recognition award, we humbly accept it on their behalf.”

Last year, Community Care served 6,233 individuals with in-home support services that allowed them to remain safely in their own homes throughout Peterborough County and over 150 of these clients resided in the Township of North Kawartha.

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New Canadians Centre Provides Update On New Ukrainians In Peterborough And Invites Community To Welcome Picnic

The New Canadians Centre provided Peterborough with an update on local, provincial and federal efforts to assist Ukrainians displaced by war.

File Photo.

As of July 5, approximately 55,000 Ukrainians have arrived in Canada through the federal Canada Ukraine Authorization for Emergency Travel (CUAET) program.

Through this program, displaced Ukrainians can stay in Canada as temporary residents for up to three years.

In Peterborough, the NCC has served approximately 90 individuals to date, and another 46 in the Northumberland area.

As the CUAET program is a special pathway not typically applied to refugee resettlement, programs and initiatives to support displaced Ukrainians are constantly evolving.

In early April, in the absence of government support programs for displaced Ukrainians, the community raised over $30,000 for the NCC’s Client Emergency Fund to meet the most urgent needs of their clients. All the funds raised have been disbursed.

In response to the offers of support from the community, the NCC has worked with CCRC’s Housing Resource Centre to create a web listing for hosts to post their homestay offers and to support hosts with information and advice: https://www.ccrc-ptbo.com/home-together/ukraine/.

To welcome new, Ukrainian members of the community, the NCC is inviting community members to the Zabava-Ukrainian Community Picnic at King Edward Park from 5 -7 p.m. on Wednesday. Those interested in attending should bring a chair or blanket to sit on and a picnic meal for themselves.

Zabava is Ukrainian for a fun get-together.

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Dirt Bike Community Rallies Around Local Family After 8-Year-Old Boy Airlifted To Sick Kids

Nixon Parsons, 8, of Peterborough suffered a bad dirt bike accident at Burnt River Off Road Facility on Saturday.

Community, friends and family are rallying around the Parsons family to see them through this trying time.

According to Kieran Gillooly, family friend and member at Burnt River, Parsons, his brother and dad are regular riders and Burnt River members. His mom and baby sister can often be found cheering on the sidelines.

On Saturday, Parsons was air lifted to sick kids in critical condition, where he has had multiple CT scans and MRI’s. His neurology team is focusing on his brain.

Parsons suffered small contusions on his brain, some swelling and bruising. On Sunday hospital staff started to bring him off his medication. Gillooly says he is moving all limbs, ‘but only flickers in his left hand’.

Doctors and nurses are monitoring brain activity for brain seizures.

He has also suffered a broken nasal cavity, broken orbital bones and has lost many of his teeth.

As of Monday, Parsons has undergone surgery to close gashes around his mouth. That surgery will be followed by stitching in his mouth to help close a hole in his pallet and to try and reattach pieces of his gum. He will also need to undergo facial bone surgery.

In a Facebook post on Tuesday, Parsons mother let friends and family know that surgery went well.

According to Gillooly, Parsons is still using a breathing tube and is responding to his parents touches with small movements of his body.

“Our entire dirt bike community is feeling the heart ache for Nixon and his family,” said Gillooly in a social media post. “It is a parents worst nightmare come true.”

Parsons’ parents, Jake and Bennica, are by his side constantly, though the hospital only allows one parent from 9 p.m. - 6 a.m. Bennica and Parsons’ 5-month-old sister have been staying in a hotel.

To help lessen the financial strain, Gillooley asks those that are willing and able to send e-transfers directly to Parsons’ mom at bennicabrown@outlook.com. Funds will be automatically deposited and used for hotels, food and to keep up with bills at home.

“Nixon is only eight years old and is battling the biggest race right now and needs everyone’s prayers and to cheer him on,” wrote Gillooly. “He is the toughest kid I have ever met, and his continued forward progress shows just how much of a fighter he is.”

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Peterborough Police Service Deploy Summer Foot Patrol

As summer vacation begins after another school season, the Peterborough Police Service has redeployed Community Services Unit officers on foot patrols in the city beginning Thursday.

Photo courtesy of Peterborough Police Service.

The foot patrol is part of proactive policing measures to meet with community members, local businesses and visitors to our city according to the police. 

Downtown Peterborough is the primary focus of the summer foot patrol as stated in the police’s press release.

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Kinsmen Club Donates $25,000 Towards New Zoo Train; New Bell Purchased From Community Funding

The Riverview Park & Zoo is one step closer to getting a new train for next year as the Kinsmen Club Of Peterborough donated $25,000 on Wednesday morning.

The Kinsmen Club has been a partner in the Park and Zoo since the organization’s beginning. Photo By Luke Best.

“When we heard about their campaign to replace the train ride, we knew it was a great fit for our club to get on board,” said Barry Craft, Kinsmen Club president. “Our membership support was unanimous for this project as we feel that Riverview Park and Zoo brings tremendous value to our community.”

“The community support groups have come out in a big way,” Jim Moloney, zoo manager and curator. “We've already started to see a good groundswell of support from individual community members but we're really depending upon that to take us the rest of the way.”

The train will cost $350,000 and 60 per cent of funding has already been achieved through community donations and Kiwanis snack bar profits.

The original bell was stolen overnight and reported to the public on April 30. Photo by Luke Best.

The zoo acquired a new bell after a community member found one online from a store in North Bay last month. The zoo purchased the bell and took roughly two weeks for its arrival.

It will be on the current train after a mount has been built for it. The bell will hopefully be outfitted for the new train next year according to Maloney.

The original bell was reported stolen overnight and was publically announced that it was missing on the morning of April 30.

Roughly $5,100 was raised for the bell’s replacement but cost $2,600 according to Cathy Mitchell, zoo program supervisor. The surplus will go towards the funding of the new train.

The zoo is offering dedication plates set in each seat compartment of the new train ride to help fund the new train. The seat dedications are $2,500 each that includes a personalized plaque of your name or in honour of someone else.

To be a sponsor or dedicate a seat bench on the train, please contact Cathy Mitchell, Program Supervisor 705-748-9301 x 2304 or cmitchell@riverviewparkandzoo.ca.

Donations to the ‘All Aboard the Riverview Railway Train Campaign’ can be made online.

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