PVNC Director Of Education Raffled Off To IT Department In United Way Fundraiser

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When PVNC Director of Education Michael Nasello agreed to raffle himself off for a day to raise money for the United Way, he was prepared for many possibilities. He was prepared to take over a kindergarten class. He was prepared to tackle the duties of a school secretary. Last year, he spent the day as an educational assistant.

But this year’s winning raffle ticket will put him in unfamiliar territory in the heart of the Board’s Information Technology department. During a day in January, Nasello will take over responsibilities at the busy IT Help Desk—the hub of all technical issues that come in through the Board office and their 36 Catholic schools.

Director of Education Michael Nasello and IT employee Mara Dal Cin.

“He’s got his work cut out for him—this phone doesn’t stop ringing and we get emails all day,” says Mara Dal Cin, who oversees the Help Desk each day at the Board office in Peterborough and whose winning raffle ticket has earned her a day off in the new year. “I love this job, I’m at the centre of everything. If anything technical goes wrong, they contact me and then I make sure something happens....and that the help gets to where it needs to go.”

Tickets for the Put Your Director to Work Day raffle went on sale board-wide in November. More than 300 tickets were purchased, raising a total of $1,354 for the United Way of Peterborough and District. Overall, PVNC has raised more than $41,000 for this year’s Peterborough campaign.

Watch the hilarious reaction when Mara won the Put Your Director to Work raffle in this video...

Dec. 2017 - Peterborough Victoria Northumberland and Clarington Catholic District School Board Director of Education Michael Nasello calls up the winner of the Put Your Director to Work Day raffle.

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Wendy's Story: Watch This Powerful Video From YWCA Peterborough On Survivor Of Abuse

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A powerful new video on domestic violence released recently by YWCA Peterborough is getting thousands of views.

"Wendy's Story" tells the story of Wendy—a YWCA client, Board Director, mother and survivor of abuse—who is courageously sharing her story to save the lives of other women and children in our community and beyond.

Wendy

Safe Nights at YWCA's Crossroads Shelter are possible thanks to generous donors. To help save the life of another woman or child facing serious danger in their own home, click here for more information.

Watch and share this video below...

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Apsley Residents Still Without A Family Physician In Town

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When Dr. Wagdy Rayes retired in June after an amazing 40 years run as a family physician in Apsley (which has a population of about 2,300), the township in Peterborough County was left without a doctor.

Rayes had approximately 1,140 patients rostered to his practice, and many of those were left without a GP when he closed his practice at the Apsley Medical Centre on Burleigh Street.

The commitment was made to find the town a new GP as soon as possible—and that commitment remains, according to the Peterborough Family Healthy Team (PHFT).

A North Kawartha Hub clinic with a nurse practioner opened behind Dr. Rayes' old office for those who couldn't join an established family practice. When a new doctor is found, PFHT says this Nurse Practitioner hub will be integrated into this practice to provide all patients of Apsley with a wholesome practice.

But the Nurse Practitioner Hub can only provide care to patients that are enrolled with them as they are currently at full capacity, meaning PFHT is pursuing a temporary solution to support these folks who can't use the hub. They are exploring a telemedicine approach which still needs to be planned out before being implemented.

“It is Peterborough Family Health Team’s responsibility to ensure all residents of the City & Country of Peterborough have access to adequate primary healthcare services,” says Lori Richey, Executive Director for the PFHT. “We continue to search for a permanent family doctor to take over the primary care for patients, but in the meantime we need a solution. People cannot go without access to care.”

A telemedicine service would provide a virtual family doctor to patients in the community. This temporary clinic would also enroll patients and smoothly transition them over to a new family doctor once recruited and that practice is up and running.

In the meantime, those living in Apsley who require care can access it through the following means:

-> The Lakefield VON Nurse Practitioner Clinic: Open Wednesdays and Thursdays, and located at 150 Strickland Street in Lakefield. (Residents are encouraged to book an appointment by calling 705.651.4866.)

-> Peterborough Regional Health Centre: If you urgently require health care services, you are advised to go to your local hospital at 1 Hospital Drive in Peterborough.

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The Amazing Impact In From The Cold Has Had During Its 18 Years In Peterborough

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In 2000, a group of Peterborough musical friends established a Christmas concert that was unlike any other—more influenced by Celtic and roots music, and one where people would hear something other than the usual Christmas carols and standards we hear every year.

"I was also inspired by Tom Jackson’s annual The Huron Carole concerts that raise money for local food banks," says one of its founders John Hoffman. "So we decided to launch the concert and donate the money to a local charity. Then I discovered that a small group was trying to establish a facility for homeless youth and that seemed like the perfect beneficiary for us."

Now, nearly two decades later, In From The Cold has had a huge impact—raising more than $100,000 for YES Shelter for Youth and Families, and also helped to raise awareness about the needs of homeless youth in our community.

After 18 years, Hoffman says that what has really kept this much-loved, anticipated event going over the years is two things: the music and what he calls the "In From the Cold feeling".

"The concert is a great creative exercise for us musicians," he tells PTBOCanada. "We enjoy digging up beautiful Christmas songs that are seldom sung but deserve to be heard. We love arranging them and performing them in our signature Celtic style. And then, the feeling you get when you walk out on the stage to perform is just magical. It’s like a huge family gathering—a really supportive, responsive audience. Lots and lots of people come to see the show each year, so it’s kind of like a family reunion."

THE PERFORMERS

-> Carried Away (Susan Newman, Rob Fortin and John Hoffman, with guests Michael Ketemer and Tanah Haney)
-> The Convivio Chorus (choir)
-> Enriqué “Roy” Claveer (Curtis Driedger)
-> Michael Ketemer: does a fingerstyle guitar solo each year

SOME NEAT SONGS DURING THIS YEAR'S CONCERT

-> Susan Newman has set the Robert Frost poem, "Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening", to music and arranged it for choir.
-> "Noel est Arrivé": a very old, rollicking song from Provence
-> "Christ Child’s Lullaby", from the Outer Hebrides
-> "Wintergrace", an Appalachian song: "It is so catchy and lovely, it’s hard to believe that hardly anyone sings it anymore," says Hoffman.
-> "Sweet Bells", a lovely and lively carol from Yorkshire
-> "A Cradle In Bethlehem", which was a hit for Nat King Cole in 1960

Hoffman says there will also be versions of some Christmas standards, including "Silent Night", "Good King Wenceslas" and the "Gloucester Wassail".

The 18th annual In From The Cold concert takes place on December 8th and 9th this year at Market Hall. Tickets are $20 ($15 for students and children), and available at Moondance or at the Market Hall online box office.

Local filmmaker Rodney Fuentes has made a short documentary about the concert. Watch it below...

Since 2000, a group of musicians in Peterborough, Ontario have provided an annual Christmas concert called In From The Cold. This concert not only celebrates the music of the season but is also an important fundraising event for the YES Shelter for Youth and Families.

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An 8-Year-Old Rep Goalie Mentored A Player With Special Needs In Peterborough Learning The Position & It Was Awesome

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Brody Brown is an 8-year-old goalie for the Peterborough Petes Novice AAA with a heart of gold.

See, Brody wanted to help out the Electric City Maroon & White, a special needs hockey team in town. On Saturday (November 11th) during an Electric City practice at Norwood Arena near Peterborough, he came and mentored 11-year-old goalie Jacob Craft who is learning the position.

This is Brody (at left) helping Jacob...

Coach Chris J-Boy Williams says Brody is a wonderful kind, young man that is already making a difference by working with special needs players.

"Brody's mom originally reached out to me a couple of months ago to let me know he has asked anyone coming to his birthday that in lieu of presents, to give cash which he wanted to donate to our team," Coach Williams tells PTBOCanada. "He came out to one of our practices recently and donated $200 which was an extremely kind thing to do. We have a brand new Junior goalie, Jacob, and I asked him if he would like to come out on the ice and work with Jacob which he did today. Super nice little guy that just wants to help out."

Brody (at left) giving advice to Jacob about goaltending

Brody tells PTBOCanada of his gesture: “I love playing hockey and want to help others play too."

Here is Brody pictured with Coach Williams, delivering the donation to the team...

Brody's gesture of time and money had an impact that Coach Williams, Jacob and the rest of the team won't forget.

"This is so much more than hockey," Coach Williams tells PTBOCanada. "Children and adults with special needs are often left feeling isolated with few friends and having Brody on the ice, welcoming Jacob to the Electric City family, is important to my players."

Brody, Jacob and Coach Williams

Coach Williams adds: "Special needs kids want to be able to show the world that they are hockey players and that they have dreams and goals just like everyone else. It was important for Brody not only to mentor Jacob but to learn about him as a person off the ice—what school he goes to, his favourite movies and the music he listens too. As parents, we need to teach our children acceptance and from acts of kindness we see amazing results."

Brody demonstrated a huge example of that on Saturday, and that impact he had may well have forged a bond to last a lifetime.

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Cuddles For Cancer Just Had Grand Opening Of Its First Drop-In Location In Downtown Lakefield

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If you have a dream, you gotta have Faith. Fifteen-year-old Faith Dickinson's dream was to someday open a physical location for her Cuddles For Cancer initiative, a charity she started when she was just 9-years-old that gives hand-made fleece blankets to cancer patients, veterans, soldiers, the homeless and other people in need of comfort around the world.

That dream was realized on Saturday (November 4th) in downtown Lakefield when a big gathering turned out to help the Grade 10 TASSS student celebrate her grand opening of a Cuddles For Cancer Drop-In Centre that opened at 15 Queen Street.

Faith in front of Cuddles for Cancer Drop-In Centre

The idea behind the drop-in centre—which will be open Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays—is for students, seniors and everyone in between to come in to this inviting space and help make fleece blankets, aka "cuddle blankets", for those in need.

Since starting Cuddles for Cancer, more than 3,500 blankets have been sent to people in need around the planet, and with more volunteers involved at this drop-in centre, that number and the speed of making them should increase markedly.

Faith's Cuddles For Cancer has brought her attention and accolades around the world. Earlier this year, she met Prince Harry and William after receiving a Legacy Award (established in honour of Princess Diana) from them in London, England. The award goes to youth children making a monumental impact on society.

Faith pictured at Grand Opening of Cuddles For Cancer Volunteer Centre

Faith, who is also Youth Ambassador on the United Way Peterborough campaign cabinet this year, touches people globally and locally with her blankets. In September, she presented Cuddle Blankets to women at the New Canadians Centre in Peterborough.

All the fleece used to make the blankets is stored in the basement of the new drop-in location...

It should come as no surprise to those who know Faith that her ambitions with Cuddles For Cancer do not end here.

She would love to see more Cuddles For Cancer Drop-In Centres open in other cities at some point, and there is even talk and interest in starting one in London, England.

For more info on Cuddles For Cancer, visit the website here.

To inquire about helping out with the Drop-In Centre and making fleece blankets, click here.

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Put Your Director To Work Day For The United Way

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Peterborough Victoria Northumberland and Clarington (PVNC) Catholic District School Board is excited to launch the 2nd Annual Put Your Director to Work Day.

Director of Education Michael Nasello is once again raffling himself off to raise money for a local United Way campaign. One lucky PVNC employee will get a day off to kick up their feet, while Nasello rolls up his sleeves and does their job for the day. Last year, the raffle raised $1,485 and sent Nasello to St. Paul CES in Lakefield, where he filled the role of an educational assistant.

Michael Nasello at last year's Put Your Director To Work Day

“I had a great time last year working closely with some great students and all the amazing staff at St. Paul Lakefield,” Nasello says. “Who will it be this year? A custodian? A kindergarten teacher? I can’t wait to find out.”

A single ticket costs $5 or employees can purchase three for $12.

The employee whose winning ticket is selected, whether it’s a supply teacher, a custodian, an educational assistant, a secretary or any other staff position, will get a paid day off while Nasello performs their job for the day.

PVNC is pleased to partner with four United Way campaigns in Peterborough, Durham, Kawartha Lakes and Northumberland. The winner’s work location will determine where the proceeds go.

“Every year we support the United Way’s mission as it works to empower some of our communities’ most vulnerable people and fund important social services that some of our students and their families rely on,” Nasello says. “This raffle is also a great opportunity to recognize the important roles all of our staff play each day in ensuring our students are given every opportunity to succeed.”

Tickets will go on sale to PVNC staff at school locations and the Board office on Wednesday, November 1st. The raffle runs until Friday, December 1st and the winning ticket will be picked at the monthly Director’s Meeting at the Board office on Wednesday, December 13th.

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Bras Around The Building Campaign Collects 7,000 Bras & Raises $17,000

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Country 105, Energy 99.7 and Merrett Home Hardware Building Centre have wrapped up the 7th Annual “Bras Around the Building” Campaign. With the support of the community, a total of 7,146 bras were collected.

With the generous contribution of $1 per bra from Merrett Home Hardware Building Centre, along with other monetary donations from local businesses, the 2017 Bras Around the Building Campaign raised $17,000 which will be donated to the Canadian Cancer Society for breast cancer research.

For the last four weeks, women of Peterborough and The Kawarthas have been donating their gently used bras, and many local women took up collections from family and friends for the campaign.

The bras will hang on the Country 105/Energy 99.7 building at 59 George St. N. in Peterborough, and will remain on display until Monday, October 30th as a symbol of support for women battling breast cancer, to honour survivors and to remember those who have lost their battle.

The public are encouraged to stop by and take pictures over the weekend.

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Peterborough Petes Unveil Plaid Jerseys To Be Worn November 2nd In Support Of United Way

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On a plaidtastic Monday (October 16th) in the Pat Casey Alumni room at the Memorial Centre, Jim Russell CEO of the United Way of Peterborough and District together with the 2017 Campaign Chair Neil Morton (co-founder of PTBOCanada.com) gave more details on Petes Plaid Night for the United Way to take place on Thursday, November 2nd—unveiling the plaid jerseys the Petes will wear for the first time in their storied history.

Here they are - the #plaidtastic jerseys that your Petes will wear in support of @unitedwayptbo on Nov. 2 vs @stinghockey!

A post shared by Peterborough Petes (@petesohlhockey) on

Matt D’Agostini of the Petes front office was unabashed in his support of the night and the partnership with the United Way. He was joined at the podium by three of the Petes players: Cole Fraser, Matthew Tims and Dylan Wells. They all sported redesigned special edition maroon, black and cream, plaid game day sweaters.

Unveiling of Petes Plaid jerseys at Memorial Centre

The jerseys will be worn during the game and be auctioned off, with all proceeds going towards the 2017 United Way campaign. Co-sponsors of the one of a kind sweaters are Cambium Inc. and Patrick McAuley of Bowes and Cocks.

Jim Bailey of Cambium Inc. spoke of the culture of his workplace and the importance to give back to the community: "For us it was a perfect fit, with both the United Way and the Petes being important to Peterborough," he says.

In addition, Ashburnham Realty is sponsoring the Petes Skybox for this special evening. 

Noah Crowley, of Sun Life Financial—Chair of the silent auction table for the event—shared a list of items so far secured including, Gold Leaf Tickets, an Anaheim Ducks game jersey signed by Nick Ritchie, a Fitbit from Best Buy, a signed Kurtis Foster hockey stick, and a special “Suite Night Out” package which will include a box, tickets for 8, and food for the evening sponsored by Ricky’s Peterborough.

United Way organizers want a "a sea of plaid" for the game November 2nd, and encourage everyone coming to the game to wear some kind of plaid. There are $20 tickets still available, $7 of each going directly to the United Way, as well as Plaid scarfs for $25. Both are available at the United Way office.

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