Canadian Entertainment Industry Powerhouse Stephen Stohn Appointed 12th Chancellor Of Trent University

Trent University alumnus Stephen Stohn ’66, a respected entertainment lawyer, award-winning producer, songwriter and author, has been appointed as the 12th chancellor of Trent University.

Stohn is the second alumnus to hold the position in the institution’s 55-year history. A 14-time Canadian Screen Award (formerly the Gemini Award) winner, Stohn is well known as the executive producer of various iterations of the Degrassi television franchise and for his role as executive producer of The Juno Awards for close to 20 years. 

Photo of Stephen Stohn courtesy Trent University

As an attorney, Stohn has represented some of the most talented and successful artists Canada has produced in the last 30-plus years, helping to guide their careers to international success.

“The unique guiding principles of Trent have been foundational to my life,” says Stohn. “The formal and the informal learning opportunities that I look back on propelled my own career, but are even more important for students today as formative and needed tools to help confront and adapt to our rapidly-changing economic, political and social times. In coming back as chancellor, I’m delighted that I will be promulgating these special qualities of Trent.”

Photo of Stephen Stohn courtesy Trent University

As a student in the late Sixties, Stohn co-founded Trent’s student newspaper, Arthur, as well as Trent Radio—both of which are still widely known to Trent students and the Peterborough community.

Stohn’s transformational philanthropic support for Trent has been key in the development of several projects, including a $1 million gift to make the new Student Centre a reality. In 2015, he served as alumni-in-residence, participating and mentoring Trent students in workshops and seminars.

In 2011, Stohn was inducted into the Canadian Music & Broadcast Industry Hall of Fame. He has also written a book, Whatever It Takes: Life Lessons from Degrassi and Elsewhere in the World of Music and Television.

Stohn will be installed as Trent University’s 12th chancellor at Convocation ceremonies to be held Friday, June 7th at 2 p.m.

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Fleming College Welcomes Autism Reality Experience To Sutherland Campus

Fleming College’s Developmental Services Worker (DSW) program and Child and Youth Care (CYC) program is welcoming the Autism Reality Experience to Sutherland Campus from March 11th to 14th. 

The Autism Reality Experience is designed to provide a virtual experience of living with autism. It is an immersive experience that gives participants greater insight into what it can feel like to struggle with processing sensory information and help participants see the world from an autistic person’s perspective.  

(Left to right): Child and Youth Care program coordinator Heather Sago; Developmental Services Worker program coordinator Ann Hines; and Professor, Simulation & Interprofessional Education Lead Wendy Morgan.

“At Fleming, we are committed to providing experiential learning opportunities for our students and exposing them to simulation-based learning throughout the course of their programs,” says Carol Kelsey, Dean, School of Health and Wellness, and Justice and Community Development.

“Hosting the Autism Reality Experience will give our students valuable hands-on learning, as well as provide important knowledge with our college community about autism, and a better understanding of the sensory processing difficulties faced by people on the autism spectrum,” adds Kelsey.

The initiative is connected to college’s investment in the newly renovated A-Wing learning labs. These modern learning spaces replicate a broad range of environments, from ambulances to hospitals, courtrooms to jail cells, and pharmacies to home settings. When coupled with cutting edge simulation technology, this means their students can apply what they learn in settings that feel like the real world, but are safe and engaging for everyone involved.

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Riverview Park and Zoo Announces Death of Their Beloved Sloth Porsche

With great sadness, Riverview Park and Zoo staff have announced the death of their female Two-Toed Sloth named Porsche.

Porsche came to the Park and Zoo from the Calgary Zoo along with Ferrari following the devastating Calgary flood in the summer of 2013. With her gentle nature, captivating eyes and charming behavior, Porsche was very popular with zoo visitors.

Best buds Porsche and Ferrari

The zoo says that Porsche had struggled with several serious medical issues over the past few years, requiring extra support from their Animal Care and Animal Health Staff. But she seemed to be doing well recently, so her sudden death was unexpected and a difficult loss for staff.

Porsche died overnight on Monday, March 4th from the final stages of kidney disease. She was twenty-seven years old.

The zoo thanks their staff and Dr. John Sallaway for their assistance with Porsche’s ongoing treatment and care.

Share your memories of Porsche on our Facebook page.

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Peterborough Petes Clinch Playoff Spot, Tickets Go On Sale Wednesday

Liam Kirk’s first OHL hat trick and Adam Timleck’s first four point game helped the Peterborough Petes clinch a spot in the 2019 OHL Playoffs with a 6-5 win over the Battalion in North Bay on Sunday afternoon.

With three regular season games left, the Petes have picked a perfect time to get hot. The win was their third straight and seventh in their last nine games.

Photo courtesy Peterborough Petes

Tickets for playoff home games 1 and 2 will go on sale to Petes season ticket members and the general public on Wednesday, March 13th at 9:30 a.m. through the Baker Tilly Box Office at the Peterborough Memorial Centre.

Season ticket members can purchase tickets in person or over the phone at (705) 743-3561, while the general public can also purchase online. 

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Sustain Wins Win This Space, Grand Prize Package Worth $40,000

Jonathan and Celine MacKay, owners of Sustain, are the winners of Win This Space 2019. The Win This Space grand prize package is valued at more than $40,000 and includes a downtown storefront free for a year.

Sustain is an eco-lifestyle retail store with a modern, triple bottom line and conscious consumer platform. Born out of a quest for better, more sustainable, non-toxic products, Sustain is positioned as a resource for those in any stage of their sustainable and wellness journey.

Winner Jonathan MacKay of Sustain at Win This Space event at ARIA (photo courtesy DBIA)

Sustain is a source of trust where the consumer can avoid wading through all the green-wash and misinformation and purchase offerings with absolute confidence that have been vetted with great scrutiny.

Sustain is looking to build on the success of their eco lifestyle concept store in Huntsville, a store that has everything a family needs to support zero-waste, plastic free, non-toxic, sustainable lifestyles. Their goal is to expand their concept to Peterborough, which they describe as an eco-progressive, vibrant community.

Winner Jonathan MacKay of Sustain at Win This Space (photo courtesy DBIA)

“This is our third Win This Space and each year I’m inspired and impressed by the interesting businesses people are entering into this competition,” says Terry Guiel, Executive Director of the Downtown Business Improvement Area.

Sustain was selected by the Win This Space judges who evaluated the Top 10 applicants to the program. The Top 10 spent three months fine-tuning their proposals at workshops focused on marketing, financial planning, and business plans.

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Peterborough's Leslie Vilneff Wins $683,592.40 In Jackpot

Peterborough’s Leslie Vilneff won the $683,592.40 jackpot from the March 2nd LOTTARIO draw with a ticket purchased at the Circle K on Hunter Street.

"I've been playing the lottery for over 30 years," says Leslie, while at the OLG Prize Centre in Toronto to pick up his winnings. "I play LOTTO MAX, LOTTO 6/49 and LOTTARIO weekly. I was shocked when I realized I had a winning ticket. I couldn't believe it!"

Leslie Vilneff

The retired, married father of two plans on completing some home renovations, taking a trip to Hawaii and topping up his savings. 

"This win means financial security," says Leslie. "I can buy things I couldn't buy before!"

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Flying Colours Corp. Launching Series Of Recruitment Events

Flying Colours Corp. is launching a series of recruitment events to attract new and existing talent to the expanding North American maintenance, repair, overhaul and completions company. They take place Friday, March 22nd and Saturday, March 23rd at its Peterborough headquarters. 

A combination of existing and new roles will be highlighted during the two-day showcase. Flying Colours Corp. is hoping to fill in excess of 50 openings in its paint, avionics, maintenance, interiors, cabin installation and upholstery departments by mid-summer. They are using the recruitment event as a platform to showcase the types of roles on offer, the dynamic work environment and the career opportunities the business presents.

Flying Colours Peterborough location is looking to welcome some 50 new recruits this summer. (Photo courtesy Flying Colours Corp.)

Many of the new roles are being created to support the addition of a new paint and maintenance hangar, which when completed will add a further 100,000 squared feet to the Peterborough facility.

Existing employees will be on hand to explain their roles, management will respond to specific company questions and the HR team will be accepting resumes and organizing interviews. Flying Colours specializes in the custom completion and maintenance of mid to large size business jets. Every project is unique and requires the talents and skilled labour of a variety of technicians and artisans to perform detailed, hand-crafted work.  

“We’re looking for additional people to join our work family as we continue to expand,” says Sean Gillespie, Executive VP Flying Colours Corp. “We’re interested in everyone from recent grads who want the opportunity to work towards their license to seasoned professionals, skilled craftspeople and aircraft technicians. Many people in other industries might not realize that their skills are transferable, which is why we’re holding this event.”

Photo courtesy Flying Colours Corp.

Participants will be able to view a business aircraft and learn about how working at Flying Colours provides the opportunity to earn a good wage, excellent benefits and enjoy career progression while performing interesting and varied work.

The event hours are Friday, March 22nd from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. and Saturday, March 23rd from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. To preschedule an interview, resumes can be sent in advance to HR@flyingcolourscorp.com with “FCCN Careers" in the subject line. 

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Faith Dickinson Chosen One of 12 Outstanding Young People For The Diana Award’s Change_Makers

Lakefield’s Faith Dickinson has been chosen as one of 12 outstanding young people from across the world to take centre stage for The Diana Award’s Change_Makers campaign.

The campaign kicks-off the Diana Award’s 20th anniversary year to drive a new wave of nominations from across the world for an award in memory of Diana, Princess of Wales.

Faith Dickinson (Photo courtesy Diana Award)

The Diana Award is the most prestigious accolade a young person can receive for their social action or humanitarian work. The youth charity benefits from the support of Diana, Princess of Wales’ sons, The Duke of Cambridge and Duke of Sussex—both of whom Faith met in May 2017 when she received a Legacy Award from them.

All the young people leading the campaign alongside Faith—who come from the UK, USA, Canada, India and UAE—challenge negative stereotypes young people are often labelled with.

Faith (3rd from right) is one of 12 kids from around world chosen for campaign

Faith, 16, a Grade 11 student at Lakefield College School, received a Diana Award herself in 2017 for starting Cuddles for Cancer, a non-profit organization which provides blankets to people suffering from cancer and other illnesses.

To date, she has made more than 4,000 blankets and they have been sent across Canada, the United States, the UK, Germany, Brazil, Australia, France and countries in Africa.

Among many other accolades in recent years, Faith was also winner of a Me To We Youth In Action Award in 2015, and was the Youth Ambassador (a newly created role) on the United Way Peterborough campaign cabinet in 2017/18.

Faith with Will and Harry in 2017

Faith’s involvement in the campaign follows her invitation to Windsor, UK as a group of young people from The Diana Award who attended the Royal Wedding of HRH Prince Harry and Meghan Markle last year.

Nominations for a Diana Award are now open for young people aged 9 to 25 years. The deadline is March 29th. Nominate someone here.

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14th Annual Seedy Sunday Takes Place March 10th At Emmanuel East United Church

On Sunday, March 10th, the 14th Annual Seedy Sunday takes place. This popular seed sale and swap is a great place to get all the knowledge, tools, and resources needed to get growing this season, and get inspired for spring!

More than 20 vendors will be selling a huge diversity of locally grown heirloom vegetable, flower and herb seeds, vermicomposting supplies, bulbs and fruit trees and bushes. Ten community groups will be displaying information about their work, and providing visitors opportunities to get involved with local food, farming, water and environmental programs. 

The Seed Exchange Area there is a great place to swap seeds with other growers, pick up some new and unique seed varieties, and chat with other seed savers. 

There will be informative workshops for this free event, including: Pruning Fruit Trees & Bushes, Growing Great Soil, Rematriation of Seeds and Saving Tree & Native Plant Seeds. 

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