Peterborough Blogs
StoosNews Spotlight: Check Out The Business Beat This Week Featuring Elegant Edged Catering, Staples Maple Syrup, Viren D'Souza, Brian Norman and Workforce Development Board
/PTBOCanada is delighted to be running StooNews columns each week here, spotlighting new businesses and startups in Peterborough and the Kawarthas. Here is this week’s edition…
Jessica Harpur recently launched her new business, Elegant Edged Catering. Jessica is offering homemade gourmet meals to be delivered throughout Peterborough and the surrounding area. The extensive menu includes chicken, beef, salmon and vegetarian, soups, lots of frozen gourmet to go, a spring menu delivered hot to your door, as well as catering platters. You’ll find Elegant Edged Catering on Facebook.
It’s perfect Maple Syrup weather! Staples Maple Syrup became certified organic with ECOcert Canada. Fresh Maple Syrup is available for porch pickup at the farm in Cavan or at the original Saturday Farmers’ Market. Detail on Facebook at Staples Maple Syrup or call 705-944-5501.
Congratulations to Peterborough resident Viren D’Souza, who was recently named as one of Canada’s Top 50 in Agriculture by Canadian Western Agribition. Recognized in the Innovators category, Viren developed, or refined products in the dairy automation industry, baler-compactors, and small-scale anaerobic digesters. You’ll find Viren D’Souza on Facebook 613-532-6455.
Congratulations to Brian Norman, who recently joined the Auto Connect Sales team. With over 40 years in the local car business, Brian is well known and respected.
The Workforce Development Board is interested in hearing about the impact on the local workforce. If you are unemployed, trying to find a better job, or wanting to re-enter the workforce, the ten-minute survey will help them identify the impact, issues and obstacles.
Local Woman Celebrates Motherhood for National Single Parent Day
/“Me” time and self-care are a luxury for single mother Lisa Sedgwick but being devoted to her kids is what she lives for.
Lisa Sedgwick (left) describes her son Rowan Sedgwick (right) like artist Elton John because he is always wearing stylish glasses. Photo by David Tuan Bui
Lisa had her first son Ebin Sedgwick, 8, at 31 years old. His biological father left upon knowing about the pregnancy. Her second son Rowan Sedgwick, 21 months, was born through at-home insemination.
Lisa tried to conceive a child through intrauterine insemination (IUI) in between the two kids but unfortunately miscarried.
One benefit as a single parent is having all the moments with the children to themselves according to Lisa.
“You get all the cuddles to yourself, you get the love to yourself you guys get to celebrate together by yourself,” she remarked. “There's a different kind of bond there than there is with the grandparents or if they had father figures in their lives.”
Rowan (left) was met with negative reviews from Ebin (right) at first since the older son initially wanted a younger sister. Photo by David Tuan Bui.
Despite not having a father in the boys’ lives, it takes a community to help raise a child according to Lisa. She has major support from her family and friends to help child-rear the boys.
“Every person, family or friend is a vital puzzle piece for the development of children,” she said.
Being a single parent is not without its challenges and especially with COVID-19.
Lisa works as a personal support worker and only has her mother babysit the kids. She rarely can have others watch them in fear of spreading the virus around.
“To have that moment you can feel like yourself, I won't get it for a while,” she said. “I wish some days when it's super hard and it's just me, I can have some time for myself. I know right now, it's not going to happen for a while. I have to be okay with that.”
Ebin enjoys playing video games such as Minecraft and Among Us. He wants to learn how to play the guitar as he gets older. Photo by David Tuan Bui
Lisa willingly knew that almost all her time would be for her two sons when she had them but claims the rewards outweigh the hardships.
“When you have your child, you've now chosen for a number of years especially when they're little, to be in the service of your children,” she said. “You're basically doing everything for your kids.”
Lisa loves her two boys and says they were the best thing to ever happen to her. She believes you can raise kids as a single parent but you have to understand the responsibilities.
“A child is for life,” said Lisa. You have to be a teacher, you have to be a doctor, nurse and financial supporter. No family is ideal, no family is perfect. You have to make it perfect.”
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Peterborough Couple Appear in Country Music Star's Music Video
/Sean Kent had no prior dance experience but stripteases for his partner, Tracy Conway in Jade Eagleson’s new music video, “All Night to Figure It Out”.
It was an unforgettable moment of fame for the Peterborough couple as they starred in the country music video that debuted on Wednesday.
The couples went to the filming in Niagara Falls during Valentine’s Day weekend. They were one of five couples that were selected to be part of the filming alongside Eagleson.
Five men performed racy yet hilarious stripteases to their significant others with help of choreographer Kae Kae Lee. The men had props and a stripper pole to aid in their routine.
The women were intentionally left in the dark until their blindfolds were removed in the music video as an unstaged reaction.
“I was laughing but I was enjoying it,” said Conway. “I was like, yeah, keep going.”
Conway has a family connection with Eagleson (pictured) but she always has been a fan of his music. Photo courtesy of Sean Kent.
Kent eagerly accepted the role during a call with the producer. He was skeptical about being selected after hearing the plot with his appearance.
“He explained what I was going to do and I asked, ‘Have you seen my pictures?’ You sure you got my pictures and not some other guy’s?’” said Kent. ”I have a solid dad bod. Emphasis on the ‘solid’”.
Filming was scheduled for late 2020 but was delayed several times due to COVID-19 putting certain cities in lockdown. Photo courtesy of Sean Kent.
Kent was no stranger to physical activity but he did not anticipate how fit you had to be to dance.
“I was down there for a good three and a half hours for the first sessions and then I went back for another two,” said Kent. “In that break, I was so sore. I was dead, I was completely drained.”
Conway (left) and Kent (right) have five sons between the two. One couple in the video had been in a relationship for two months. Photos courtesy of Sean Kent.
All men were given the same dance to perform. Kent believes he practiced the routine roughly 100 times.
“It was honestly a pleasant experience,” said Kent. “I’d do it again in a heartbeat.”
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Local Musician Gives Parkinson's Disease a Knockout With Music Video
/Peterborough Singer/Songwriter Taylor Abrahamse is ready to give Parkinson’s disease the one-two punch.
The 29-year-old is raising money and awareness for Parkinson’s disease with his music video, “Out Like a Light” on his self-titled debut album.
The song debuted on YouTube on Feb 22 which features Abahamse’s mother and other elder community members diagnosed with Parkinson’s in the “TKO” boxing program at Goodlife Fitness in Portage Mall.
“My mother was diagnosed with Parkinson’s a few years ago, she was looking for things to help her with that,” said Abrahamse. “We found out about this boxing program that helps that so my father suggested making Out Like a Light at this boxing place.”
Taylor Abrahamse has professionally voice acted with roles such as Fangbone in the self-titled Disney series and Luke Stanley of YTV’s The Stanley Dynamic. Photo Courtesy of Taylor Abrahamse.
The video was made to create awareness of the disease and how Parkinson’s sufferers are socially affected. Since the disease is visible in a variety of different forms, it gets difficult to distinguish if people have it or not says Abrahamse.
“One of the hard things that affect the quality of life is the stigma around it,” he said. ”There can be a lot of frustration and shame about that.”
Abrahamse has collaborated with three different charities for funding Parkinson’s research: Michael J. Fox Foundation, Parkinson Canada and David Phinney Foundation for Parkinson’s.
Taylor Abrahamse was a top 30 finalist at Canadian Idol when he was 16 years old. Photo Courtesy of Taylor Abrahamse.
The song's name came from a change up to Abrahamse’s style. “Out Like a Light” has a greater rock-and-roll feel and Abrahamse describes it as taking a break and “shutting out the light”.
His album can be bought on his official website. It took him roughly three years to complete his debut album.
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Trent and Fleming Partner for Diploma-to-Degree Programs
/Fleming College students can upgrade their diplomas into Trent University degrees from a new agreement between both institutions announced on Tuesday.
Business, fishing and wildlife, mental health and addiction diplomas graduates of Fleming can earn degrees in Business Administration, Social Work or Indigenous Bachelor of Education according to the press release.
“Trent University is pleased to continue to collaborate with our postsecondary partners at Fleming College on new pathways for students to transition to degree studies and achieve career success,” said Dr. Leo Groarke, Trent president and vice chancellor. “These new pathways will support graduates in gaining in-demand skills to contribute to economies both locally, across Canada and around the world.”
The Faryon Bridge overlooking the Otonabee River. The bridge connects between the campus’s East Bank and West Bank. Photo Courtesy of Trent University.
Business Students can use Fleming College’s Business or Business Human Resources programs towards 10 Trent credits towards their Bachelor of Business Administration degree.
Graduates of Fleming College’s Mental Health and Addictions Worker Diploma program are eligible to fast-track into Trent’s Bachelor of Social Work. Students become registered social workers upon graduation.
Fleming graduates receive five credits towards their university degree. At Trent, social work students have the opportunity to complete 700 hours of hands-on supervised field placement in the professional years of the program.
Fleming College was founded in 1967 with David Sutherland — husband of former Peterborough mayor Sylvia Sutherland — as their first president. Photo Courtesy of Fleming College.
Trent has offered an Indigenous Bachelor of Education exclusive to Indigenous students, available only to this program.
The degree fosters a new generation of Indigenous educators who honour the culture, language, and knowledge of Indigenous students. Graduates from Fleming’s Fish and Wildlife Technology advanced diploma program will receive 10 transfer credits toward their Indigenous Bachelor of Education at Trent.
Cobourg, Haliburton and Lindsay have their own respective Fleming campuses. Photo Courtesy of Fleming College.
“Growing our partnership with Trent University is important to Fleming College,” said Maureen Adamson, Fleming College president. “It emphasizes the rich higher education opportunities that exist in the Peterborough area.”
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Hometown PTBO: Adrian O'Keefe Compares Ireland With Canada and How Peterborough Became His New Home
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This week on Hometown PTBO, Pete Dalliday has a St. Patrick’s Day special with Adrian O’Keefe of McCloskey International. O’Keefe compares Irish and Canadian culture and how he made Peterborough his home away from Ireland.
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First COVID-19 Case Reported in Local Shelter System
/A positive COVID-19 case associated with the Brock Mission Shelter has been reported by Peterborough Public Health and the City of Peterborough on Wednesday.
Photo courtesy of Otonabee Conservation
The individual — who is not being identified — was already self-isolating away from the shelter when they were tested positive according to the press release.
They have been self-isolating in a motel since the virus’s discovery according to the City of Peterborough.
The test could not detect if it was a COVID-19 variant strain as it was indicated as “low level detected”.
“We are grateful for the efforts of the shelter staff who have been following public health protocols for the last year, screening individuals and monitoring for symptoms to direct people to isolation for testing,“ said Dr. Rosana Salvaterra, Medical Officer of Health. “Their dedication to the safety of people who use the emergency shelters was key in this situation.”
This is the only positive case in all Peterborough emergency shelters to date. Shelters are already increasing health measures such as deeper cleaning and extra disinfectant on common surfaces.
Surveillance testing began immediately at the Brock Mission with help of Peterborough Paramedics.
“We’re working together to help protect the most vulnerable in our community,“ said Diane Therrien, Peterborough mayor. “Shelter staff and Public Health quickly responded to this situation to assist this individual and to take the necessary follow-up steps to keep residents and staff safe.”
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First COVID-19 Death Reported from Severn Court Outbreak
/A man in his 30s has died from the Severn Court COVID-19 outbreak according to a press release by Peterborough Public Health (PPH) on Tuesday — the youngest person to die locally from COVID-19.
The man — who has yet to be identified — lived at the off-campus residence but did not attend the party according to PPH. He was diagnosed with a COVID-19 variant and was hospitalized outside the region last week before he died.
photo via Severn Court Residence Facebook page
