United Way Youth Ambassador Faith Dickinson Presents Cuddle Blankets To Women At New Canadians Centre

Faith Dickinson believes gratitude can transcend language and cultural barriers.

She would know.

At just 15 years of age, the Lakefield, Ont., teen has been heralded throughout the world for providing warmth and care to cancer patients with her hand-made “Cuddles for Cancer” blankets.

Faith Dickinson with her plaid fleece cuddle blankets at NCC

Just a few months ago, the Grade 10 Thomas A. Stewart student was presented the inaugural Diana Award at St. James Palace in London by both Princes Harry and William. Faith was among 20 youth to receive the prestigious award founded on the late Princess Diana’s belief that young people have the power to change the world.

Having sewn more than 3,500 fleece blankets that have been sent all across Canada, the United States, France, England and Australia, Faith has also created a signature blanket for soldiers overseas and those suffering from injuries or Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Many of these blankets have been sent to Afghanistan and Kuwait.

Left to right: Hend Altech, United Way Youth Ambassador Faith Dickinson, United Way Chair Neil Morton, Malaka Tonbakj, Abir Al Hattab and Sabah Alhamwi

Extending warmth and comfort to newcomer women from Syria, Cuddles for Cancer and United Way Youth Ambassador Faith Dickinson demonstrates the power of community

Faith—who is Youth Ambassador (a newly-created role) for the 76th Annual United Way of Peterborough Campaign—recently presented four of her cuddle blankets to clients of the New Canadians Centre (NCC).

“I’m a bit nervous meeting these women,” Faith explains, unfolding the blankets—two of which were made of plaid fleece. “My mom and I thought it would be fun to highlight the campaign theme which is anything and everything plaid.”

Abir Al Hattab receives a fleece "cuddle" blanket from United Way Youth Ambassador, Faith Dickinson

Initiated by Campaign Chair Neil Morton (co-founder of PTBOCanada.com), the plaid thread is running throughout the United Way of Peterborough campaign, including the launch on Tuesday, September 19th where most of the capacity crowd dressed in the fabric at the Evinrude Centre.

A partner agency that receives funding from the United Way, the NCC is a federally-designated welcome centre for Syrian refugees. To date, close to 350 Syrians have arrived in Peterborough, more than half of this number being children.

Faith and Hend Altech share a hug.

 “I don’t speak Arabic,” Faith explains quietly, smiling at the four women who have gathered in the main space at the NCC. In addition to having fled their war-torn homeland, these four women—Hend Altech, Malaka Tonbakj, Abir Al Hattab and Sabah Alhamwi—face their own personal struggles with cancer, scleroderma, disability as well as the loneliness and feelings of despair associated with starting over in a new country where you don’t know anyone, or speak the language.

“I want these women to feel comfort and support and welcomed by myself and our community," says Faith. "I want them to know we understand what a struggle it’s been to get here to build a life for themselves and their families. I hope by presenting them with the blankets, it will convey what I want to say.”

Faith presents plaid cuddle blanket to Malaka Tonbakj.

And it did. Despite language barriers, Faith’s welcoming message of love and support was received—loud and clear. “When I handed them their blankets, they put their hands over their hearts as if to say thank you,” she says. A powerful expression of gratitude transcending language and cultural barriers, the warmth and comfort extended to these women was felt by everyone present.

“It was very moving both for myself and my Mom and Dad,” adds Faith. “One of the women, Hend, wanted to have her picture taken with me to send to her family who are still living in Syria. She kept nodding and smiling at me. And then she called me habibti (an Arabic term of affection) and we all started laughing and calling one another habibti. It was a lot of fun. I won’t forget it.”

—guest post by Carol Lawless

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Homecoming & Head Of The Trent Regatta This Weekend

Trent U's annual Homecoming and Head of the Trent Regatta takes place September 29th to October 1st, and features alumni activities, campus tours, varsity sports and the largest single day head race in North America—all free to spectators and fans.

Photo Courtesy Trent University

“Homecoming and the Head of the Trent Regatta is a weekend of fun and celebration at Trent and in Peterborough,” says Lee Hays ’91, director of Alumni Affairs. “It’s an opportunity for alumni and their families to come back to campus, to reconnect, and to cheer on the Excalibur on the water and in Justin Chiu Stadium.”

Photo courtesy Trent University

This year, to kick-off the weekend, Trent will celebrate the official opening of the new state of the art Student Centre, featuring a green carpet roll-out where donors and supporters will be honoured. There will also be live music, student performances, refreshments and interactive entertainment at the Centre.
 
The annual weekend has grown to feature not only rowing, but also a full slate of varsity and alumni games including lacrosse, rugby, soccer and volleyball. This year varsity games start on Friday night at 7:30 p.m. for Men’s Rugby and continue on Saturday with Women’s Rugby, Women’s Soccer, Men’s Soccer, and Men’s Lacrosse running from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. at the Justin Chiu Stadium. The rowing regatta starts at 8 a.m.

Photo Courtesy Trent University

Highlights of the 2017 Homecoming & Head of the Trent Regatta include:
 
-> Student Centre Grand Opening: Friday night from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m., to celebrate this much anticipated new building.
 
-> Alumni: Visit the Alumni welcome tents on the Bata Library podium to pick up your Alumni bracelet for special perks, take part in giveaways, purchase swag and visit the Alumni Kid’s, or enjoy live music at the Alumni Pub Gathering in the Ceilie.
 
-> Varsity Sports: Stop by the Justin Chiu Stadium and the Athletics Centre, wear your Trent green, and cheer on the Excalibur.
 
-> Campus Tours: Prospective students are invited to experience the spirit of the Trent campus and community. Tours run hourly from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday from the Athletics Centre.
 
-> Rowing, rowing and more rowing: Visit hotr.ca for the full rowing schedule, start times, results and more information about the history of the Regatta.
 
-> Rower’s Beer Garden: Saturday from 12 noon to 6 p.m., located in Lot G behind Lady Eaton College. Enjoy live music and food, and collect this year's Head of the Trent mug.

Photo Courtesy Trent University

QUICK FACTS ABOUT HOTR

-> The Head of the Trent Regatta is one of the largest single day regattas in North America.

-> Created in 1971 by Trent alumnus Chris Leach ‘70, today Head of the Trent includes over 430 boats, and 1,700 athletes from more than 50 clubs and universities across Canada and the northern United States.

-> Races take place on the Trent-Severn Waterway, starting at the Parkhill Road Bridge and winding through the Trent Canal to finish at the Faryon Bridge on Trent’s campus.

[Related: 39 Signs You Went To Trent U]

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Rotary Club Of Peterborough Installs Buddy Bench At St. Catherines Elementary School

The Rotary Club of Peterborough Kawartha presented its first Rotary Buddy Bench to St. Catherines Catholic Elementary School Principal Shelley Adair and the staff and students of the school.

Nate Loch, a former student there and the inspiration for the project, shared candidly with the group in the school library his past experiences in both elementary and high school regarding bullying—of being both the victim and the perpetrator of bullying.

Left to Right: Donna Geary, Rotary Club of Peterborough Kawartha; Donna’s son, Nate Loch; Past President Kim Winter; St. Catherines Principal Shelley Adair; Rotary Club President Len Lifchus.

Nate closed his powerful talk with this message:

“I am optimistic looking towards the future of the schooling systems, and I’ve seen the great effort undertaken from the school board to try and tackle the gigantic problem of bullying. But this is where it starts, and this is where it can end—right here in this school, in the playgrounds and everywhere in between.

"I hope that as teachers you can guide the students into using this bench to promote inclusiveness and to be open to the idea of socializing with people they aren’t familiar with, or they might not be comfortable around. I hope to see this project succeed, and if it were to change the perception of a single child, I’d say it will have been a success.”

We love this initiative, and hope it spreads to more schools.

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Neil Young Returns To Childhood Home Of Omemee For Visit, Posts Video

Neil Young spent his formative years in Omemee, Ontario near Peterborough.

Here he is in Grade 1 at Omemee Public School (1951-52), standing in the back row, third from the left...

Neil Young, third from left, standing in the back row

Well the rock star just returned there for a visit and posted this video to Twitter in front of Omemee Hall, to remind people of his roots...

I'm Canadian by the way, and I love the USA... - the Visitor 🇨🇦 pic.twitter.com/LemTEfKcic

— Neil Young (@Neilyoung) September 23, 2017

He also posted the video to Facebook...

Young, 71, who now lives in Northern California, was back in Canada to be inducted into the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame at a ceremony at Massey Hall in Toronto.

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City Of Peterborough Reminds People Not To Put Used Needles & Broken Glass In Blue Box

In recent weeks, the City of Peterborough says there has been an increase in the number of used syringes found in City blue boxes. Workers have been jabbed with exposed needles, causing great concern about their well-being.
 
The city reminds the public it is not permitted to place used needles into your blue box or garbage. They pose an extreme health and safety risk, both to the workers who must handle them, as well as to children who may inadvertently come into contact with them.

Used needles are to be taken to your neighbourhood pharmacy for free, safe disposal. They will also be accepted at the City’s Household Hazardous Waste Depot. Take them in a puncture-proof container.
 
Broken glass is another item that injures many waste collectors each year. If you have broken glass, wrap it in several layers of paper or cloth and secure it with tape before placing it in the garbage. Never put broken glass into your blue box.

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Hometown Boy Logan DeNoble Named Captain Of The Peterborough Petes

Dream big and work hard, and your dreams will come true: Hometown boy Logan DeNoble is proof of that, having been named captain of the Peterborough Petes.

Logan (No. 28) follows in the footsteps of former captains that were also local to Peterborough, including Doug Gibson (1972-73), Dallas Eakins (1987-88), Brent Tully (1993-94), Steve Webb (1994-95) and Kevin Bolibruck (1996-97).

Logan DeNoble (2nd from left) named Captain of Petes

“Growing up in Peterborough, it was a dream to play for the Petes,” says DeNoble. “If you’d have told when I was drafted in 2014 that one day I’d be named captain, I probably would have laughed it off.”

“It was an accomplishment to make the team, and to now have the honour of captaining my hometown club is incredible. I am going to make the most of this opportunity and will work hard to lead us to another successful season.”

Logan grew up playing minor hockey in Peterborough...

He has always been a huge Petes fan...

Here is Logan in his minor league hockey days holding a painting of himself by George Elliott...

“When it comes time to selecting captains, you look at players who bring character, their work ethic, their attitudes and how they carry themselves,” says Head Coach Jody Hull. “We felt that Logan was the player who, based on his journey to this point, best personifies what it means to be a Peterborough Pete.”

What would make this season even more special for Logan and the rest of the maroon and white? A run to the Memorial Cup of course. Bring it.

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Curry Village Celebrating Incredible 23 Years In Downtown Peterborough

Iconic Indian restaurant Curry Village (306 George St. N) has been owned and operated by brothers Muslim and Shahidul Islam for 23 years.

The brothers immigrated to Peterborough from Bangladesh and decided a year later that the city had a culinary gap to fill and they went about filling it.

Celebrations begin with a special recognition event with Mayor Daryl Bennett, MP Maryam Monsef and DBIA executive director Terry Guiel this Friday, September 22 at 11:30 a.m at Curry Village. 

"It is a great story to see a business have this long of a successful run in our downtown and we hope they continue to offer great Indian cuisine for many years to come," says Guiel.

The celebrations continue Saturday, September 23rd as the brothers host their yearly buffet special. This is something they do only once a year to celebrate each anniversary.
 
"Our buffet is a great chance to taste some of everything from our menu,” says Shahidul.

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