Lids for Kids Will Match More Children With More Mentors, Making PTBOCanada Proud

PTBOCanada’s new line of funky ballcaps is topping up a new fundraiser for a children’s charity that serves kids across Peterborough.

Alex Ouimet (left) and Thomas Jenkins (right) met through the Big Brothers Big Sisters of Peterborough program where the two went to a Toronto Blue Jays baseball game as their first outing in 2018. Photo Courtesy of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Peterborough.

Lids for Kids will see $10 from every hat sold go to Big Brothers Big Sisters of Peterborough, an agency that matches kids with mentors to help them better cope with the challenges of growing up. The hip hats sell for $29.99 via PTBOCanada’s site and can be picked up at Ricart’s Promotions on Lansdowne Street East.

This BIG partnership celebrates #PTBOCanada proud as city residents can show off their loyalty to the city while supporting children living here.

Big Brothers Big Sisters already has 47 Little Sisters and 25 Little Brothers matched with “Bigs”, mentors who meet with them weekly, plus 22 virtual mentoring matches. Yet, another 18 girls and 22 boys are still waiting to be paired up with adults of any age.

Funds from the Lids for Kids campaign will support weekly virtual programs to keep children on the waiting list connected to the agency. So far, the staff have been running weekly trivia games and craft nights, including painting pictures and decorating pots in which they plant seeds.

PTBOCanada has five different styles to choose from to support the fundraiser. Photo Courtesy of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Peterborough.

This has been a tough year for kids, who have been cut off from their friends and their school routines, on top of sports and other activities that keep them engaged and learning. For children in vulnerable families, the strain is even harder.

Big Brothers Big Sisters has been matching up mentors and children in Peterborough since 1964, one of the first 10 agencies in Canada to do so. Like PTBOCanada, it focuses on working with local partners to bring out the best in people in this community.

Jenkins and Ouimet often travel to parks, woods and other geographical places of interest as part of their Big Brother adventures. Photo by David Tuan Bui

Recently, has the Bigs’ Board of Directors developed a new strategic plan to revitalize the organization. The organization is infused with new energy and is looking to recruit new volunteers for its mentorship programs and its new committees for fundraising, volunteer management, building, and communications.

“We have an incredible executive director and two dedicated caseworkers who are focused on the core programs that support our Littles and their families,” said Tom Jenkins, who serves as chair of the board and a Big Brother for 18 years.

“Our staff and board are united in building a brighter future for the kids who need us most.  We thank everyone who helps our kids, including Kirtus at PTBOCanada,” Jenkins continues. “We are grateful for your support and look forward to working with you in the coming weeks and years as we have big plans in our future.”

­­Big Brothers Big Sisters offers traditional matches, mentorships in local schools, and tailored programs Go Girl! and Game On! to encourage healthy lifestyle choices. Volunteers are needed for all these programs, with an emphasis on traditional matches, where the need is greatest.

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Provincial Charity Awards Peterborough Commerce President Prestigious Award

With over 43 years of service for Easter Seals Canada, Stu Harrison has been given the National Volunteer Award for Ontario on Wednesday.

PTBOCanada releases StoosNews and his Business Beat every week. File Photo.

The award celebrates outstanding volunteers from across Canada according to the press release. Harrison is one of eight recognized volunteers who has dedicated their time and skills to help make Canada a more inclusive society for people of all abilities.

Harrison is the president and CEO of Peterborough Chamber of Commerce who features his weekly Business Beat called StoosNews — which you can find here on PTBOCanada — has helped the Easter Seals Telethon since 1978.

The longtime dedication to the charity has been considered an honour on both sides says Harrison.

“While I really enjoy the committee work leading up to the annual Telethon,” he said. “I see my role as getting to know the families and telling their story in a way that they are comfortable with. The icing on the cake is watching the kids grow up and find their way in life.”

Harrison has been president of the Peterborough Chamber of Commerce for over 16 years. File Photo.

The press release praises Harrison for his hard work, dedication and developing a real connection with all the kids who benefit from the charity.

“Stu is also very much loved by Easter Seals kids - their faces light up with huge smiles when they see that Stu is there! The kids and families also enjoy catching up with Stu as he is a familiar face each year,” according to the release. “Stu has watched many of the kids grow into amazing young adults. You can clearly see the connections and relationships that have been forged over the years and the mutual admiration on set each year.”

This year’s Easter Seals Telethon will be broadcasted live on June 13th from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

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Local Campaign for Mental Health and Fitness Explodes Overnight

What was supposed a neighbourhood project to get growing children to be active for mental health has turned into a city-wide campaign with sponsors and prizes on Monday.

PTBOCanada has become one of many sponsors to be a part of the free t-shirt giveaway and the campaign. Photo Courtesy of Mark Westlake.

Founded by Mark Westlake and stepdaughter Lili McAnerin, “Stay Strong and Be Positive” encourages youth from ages 10-16 to go outside and be active though anyone is encouraged to participate. The campaign will last until May 20, the date the Ontario shutdown will allegedly end.

Physical activity helps against the rising cases of declining mental health in that age group especially when the pandemic has limited outdoor play says Westlake.

“We’re looking for 10 to 16-year-olds to be outside and be active and limit more of their screen time where all the negativity is right now,” he said. “There’s so much negativity in the world, we wanted to create something more positive and see what influence we can do.”

Westlake’s children cycling atop Faryon Bridge at Trent University. Photo Courtesy of Mark Westlake.

The campaign originally had 500 free t-shirts made up for kids but with help of sponsors like Suzuki Canada, Cameron Cycle and Powell Powersports, the number has doubled to 1,000.

Westlake has got numerous amounts of calls from sponsors who want to be a part of the campaign. Daily prizes will be given for the kids aged 10-16 including a grand prize of a BMX bike and kayak both valued at $750 apiece given on the final day.

A fundraiser will be set up to raise money for youth charities says Westlake.

The shirts are given to families who have at least one participating child and come in the colours pink, red, orange and yellow.

“Maybe this is the something community needed to get the kids to get a little bit of encouragement to boost the morale in a positive way,” said Westlake. “You need that outlet, young or old.”

To participate, you can visit the Facebook page for more details as shirts are limited to the first 1,000 participants.

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Fleming College Hosts Technology Showcase To Help Community Businesses

Fleming College is virtually hosting the 2021 Innovation and Technology Showcase, an annual event students create technological solutions for real-world challenges for businesses and communities on Thursday at 10:00 a.m.

The top 10 of 67 teams — five businesses and five technology teams —will display their projects before a panel of 15 judges to determine the winner of the top prize money.

The following are the top 10 projects:

• Josephine Management Co. Ltd.

• Rfid Accessibility Tool

• Smart Spice Rack

• Fleming College Interactive Greeting System

• Fix-a-Leak Plumba Web App

• A Small Town Restaurant Looks Up

• Marketing Strategy for Parkhill Realtors Group

• Crestwood Alumni Better Together

• Bob Nurse RCPA

• Fleming Regsitrar’s Office Commmunications Plan

Fleming invites the public to honour the competing students and view the results as they will be announced on April 29 at 3:00 p.m.

The event is in partnership with Bell who has sponsored the event for the past several years.

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Trent University Awards Longtime Employees For Their Service

Trent University is honouring four women with the 2021 Eminent Service Awards for their exceptional contributions to the school on Wednesday.

Eminent Service Award was created in 1978 that recognizes individuals who have made outstanding contributions to the life of the campus. Photo Courtesy of Trent University.

Dr. Jackie Muldoon, Sue Robinson, Jodi Aoki and Christy Carlson were the recipients of the award for their outstanding service.

“Each individual enriched our campuses and our community with their expertise, professionalism, hard work and tireless dedication to student well-being and the success of the university,” said Dr. Michael Khan, university provost and vice-president academic in the press release.

Dr. Jackie Muldoon has served as interim provost for Trent in 2015 before signing a five-year contract for Jan 1, 2016 for the position. Photo Courtesy of Trent University.

Muldoon is one of the University’s longest-serving employees, having served nearly four decades in a variety of roles including senior tutor, head of business administration and the first dean of the School of Education. Prior to her retirement, she served as provost and vice president Academic from 2015 to 2020.

During this term, Muldoon played a leading role in the development of innovative programming, which promoted increased enrolment including new undergraduate degrees and new professional Masters' programs as well as establishing key transfer agreements with partner institutions.

“I am both honoured and humbled to receive the Eminent Service Award,” stated Prof. Muldoon, “I have been very fortunate to spend my entire career at such an outstanding university, along with such great faculty and staff, all of whom have worked together to help our students grow and flourish.”

Throughout her many roles at the University, Muldoon was known as a humble leader and a passionate advocate for human rights, Indigenous reconciliation and social justice.

Robinson began working for Trent University in the athletics department in 1987 as an aquatics supervisor. Photo Courtesy of Trent University.

Sue Robinson, coordinator of Alumni Engagement and Services, recently retired after more than 33 years of dedicated service in various roles with the University and was well-known for her event coordination expertise.

Robinson started her Trent career in Athletics, where she worked for nearly 20 years developing fitness and athletic programs before moving to the External Relations and Advancement portfolio where she became a valuable member of the team that led the Athletics Campaign, raising $4 million to support the expansion of the athletics building and a new stadium.

Throughout the campaign, she was instrumental in organizing events such as the Justin Chiu Stadium dedication ceremony. In 2012, Ms. Robinson joined the Alumni Affairs team and continued coordinating large, award-winning events including Ideas That Change the World, which hosted 150 people and a live band at Chancellor Stephen Stohn’s Toronto home and a 90th birthday celebration for Trent’s founding president Professor Tom Symons.

During the annual Head of the Trent, Ms. Robinson kept the event fresh with new ideas and always made sure alumni were welcomed back with “open arms” and made to feel at home, greeting them by their first name.

“I have had the privilege of learning from, working with, and getting to know so many wonderful staff, students and alumni throughout my career at Trent and look forward to staying connected to our amazing alumni and colleagues from Trent during my retirement,” reflects Robinson. “I was deeply grateful to have been made an honorary alumna upon my retirement in March.”

Akoi has her Master of Arts degree in Canadian Studies from Trent. Photo Courtesy of Trent University.

Jodi Aoki has worked in the Trent Archives for 32 years, developing an in-depth knowledge of Trent’s archival and heritage collections and becoming the de facto curator of the University’s art collection.

As the first contact for student, faculty and community researchers, Aoki is known for being unfailingly helpful, patient, and knowledgeable.

"I am deeply honoured to receive this award and grateful to have had an opportunity to work in archives through my career at Trent,” she said. “In the course of my work, I came to know many wonderful people across the University and in the local community, too, who share a common interest in preserving history."

Aoki has also represented the University on the Museum and Archives Advisory Committee of the City of Peterborough and has served on the board of directors of the Archives Association of Ontario.

Carlson had worked at Trent University for nearly 20 years. Trent’s Bata Library put their flag at half-mast to honour her passing on the day of her service. Photo Courtesy of Trent University.

The late Christy Carlson passed away in December after a long career at the university as an academic advisor. She was known for her kindness, compassion and unwavering commitment to students’ emotional and intellectual well-being and development.

Carlson’s career at Trent started in 2002 when she began teaching courses in Gender and Women’s Studies. She went on to become an academic counsellor at Julian Blackburn College.

In 2012, she became an academic advisor for Otonabee College where she proposed the My Pronouns Campaign, which encouraged students and staff to learn the importance of asking for and not assuming people’s pronouns.

In 2018, Carlson joined Gzowski College and took on the role of team lead for academic advising in 2019. Ms. Carlson was known for going above and beyond for students in her role, which she described as less of a job and more of a calling.

The award was posthumously presented to Ms. Carlson and shared with her family.

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Local Comedian Inspires Huge Social Media Following On TikTok With His Humour

“Good Morning, assholes”, may sound insulting but local comedian Wayne Hannah has turned it into a funny and inspiring message for over 52,400 of his TikTok followers.

Hannah’s TikTok videos begin with his signature greeting often while drinking coffee in arbitrary locations. His intro is accompanied by words of wisdom to motivate and inspire his followers (known as the “Asshole Army”) to love and appreciate themselves.

“I have received thousands of direct messages and comments saying, ‘Thank you for lifting me up!’,” said Hannah. “I would be reading these motivational quotes and now I instead of talking to myself in the mirror, I’m telling people to love themselves while telling me.”

Hannah has been deployed in Bosnia and parts of Africa in 2000 and 2009 respectively during his military career. Photo Courtesy of Wayne Hannah.

Hannah has lived his life serving the community as a firefighter for over 17 years in the military and is with the Pickering Fire Services.

During his off-time in the military, he would do stand-up comedy and a radio show. Hannah has been diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and his platforms constantly changing made it difficult for him to find his calling.

“When you’re a comedian with ADHD, you try to figure out what to do with your mouth and TikTok let me be funny again,” said Hannah.

The social media star started his account shortly after the pandemic put the world into lockdown last spring. He wanted to spread positivity during difficult times for everyone.

“There is a hugely serious message in there and when I call people assholes and when I say that stuff,” said Hannah. “I tell people we’re all human, we’re not perfect but you have to love the s**t out of yourself. It’s helping people love themselves because if you can love yourself now during the pandemic, imagine how you’re going to be when it’s all over.”

The “friendly welcome” came from a moment Hannah had with his eight-year-old daughter, Harper.

The young girl had allegedly given attitude when waking up her father on an Easter morning and he responded with, “Well good morning, asshole!” according to Hannah. The two shared a laugh with each other that sparked his signature catchphrase.

Hannah takes the greeting as a compliment saying both parties in the relationship or friendship are close and are comfortable either each other.

“I just think that asshole is the nicest thing that anyone can call you, I love it,” he said. “When you hear stuff like that and when you read that, it’s the most uplifting and humbling thing to hear.”

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Local Man Celebrates Family Reunion Anniversary After Early Separation

Local realtor and paralegal Colin Elsby went through most of his life without knowing his biological family but marked his two-year anniversary of reuniting with his sisters on Thursday.

During their first reunion, the siblings cooked and played board games as their first activities together at the Airbnb. Photo courtesy of Colin Elsby.

He found his sisters through social media three years ago citing his biological aunt as a mutual friend that made the connection. He only had first names and birthdates as his only clues of his sisters.

“I did some digging and everything popped up. My sisters found the same aunt (we had) on Facebook 10 years prior to me finding her,” said Elsby. “ We didn’t know each other aside from first names and birthdates. I honestly never thought I’d meet and find them.”

He first connected with them when he saw a friend request from his sister on Facebook.

The 24-year old met his sisters for the first time at an Airbnb in Leamington, Ont. — since one sister lives in Windsor and the other in Tilbury, Ont. — where the experience was so overwhelming that the actual meeting was the opposite according to Elsby.

“It was such a calming and natural connection,” he said. “There was a possibility that we may not have clicked but it was surprisingly natural and it wasn’t super eventful, to be honest.”

Fran Reaume (left), Jennifer Reaume (middle) and Colin Elsby (right) all share the same biological mother. Photo Courtesy of Colin Elsby.

The three often keep in contact with each other especially with the distance between their towns, the pandemic and busy lives. Both his sisters have children of their own and work in healthcare which occupies a lot of time says Elsby.

He was taken into the care of Children’s Aid Society (CAS) at five months old and officially adopted when he was three. He was born in Toronto, adopted in Cobourg and has been living in Peterborough for the past 15 years.

He is a realtor for EXIT Realty Liftlock Brokerage and a paralegal. Elsby is a board member for the Kawartha Haliburton Children’s Foundation for over two years.

He went to high school at Adam Scott Collegiate Vocational Institute before attending Fleming College to be a paralegal, graduating in 2019. He studied to be a real estate agent while getting his paralegal diploma. He currently is studying online at the University of London for his Bachelor of Law (LLB) to become a lawyer.

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Canadian Government Releases Federal Budget, Announces $101.4B in Spending

Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland released the plans of the Liberal Party federal budget for a post-pandemic economic recovery at the House of Commons in Ottawa on Monday.

Cynthia Freeland, finance minister had her first federal budget announcement since the Liberal Party of Canada did not do one last year. She is the first federal female finance minister in Canadian history. Screenshot.

This was the first budget in two years for the Liberal Party. Here are the highlights of the announced budget:

Main highlights:

• $101.4 billion over three years in new spending for recovery aid and kick-start a green economy transition

• $30 billion over five years and $8.3 billion every year after to create and maintain a national child care program. The goal is a $10-a-day child care service by 2025-2026

• $18 billion pledged for Indigenous communities

• $17.6 billion towards green recovery — to conserve lands and oceans by 25 percent by 2025 and to help Canada cut emissions to 36 per cent below 2005 levels by 2030.

• Extension of pandemic business and income support measures, such as wage and rent subsidies through autumn.

• Taxable grants $500 to Old Age Security pensioners aged 75 or older starting on June 2022

• A 10 per cent boost for pensioners to maximum OAS benefits 75 and older beginning on July 1, 2022

Deficit

• The deficit at $354.2 billion in 2020-21 and $154.7 billion in 2021-2022, expected to drop to $30.7 billion in 2025-2026

Jobs

• Extension of the maximum period of employment insurance sickness benefits from 15 to 26 weeks.

• A projection of one million new jobs by the end of the year

• A $15 federal minimum wage

Other highlights

• $4.4 billion to help homeowners with green renovations with interest-free loans of up to $40,000.

• $3 billion to help provinces improve long-term care over five years

• $2.5 billion towards building and repairing 35,000 housing units

• $1 billion towards tourism for festivals and cultural events

• A new luxury tax on new cars and private aircrafts worth more than $100,000 and recreation boats over $250,000

• $300 million to support underrepresented people-of-colour entrepreneurs.

• $236.2 million over five years and $33.5 million every year after for the departments of National Defence and Veterans Affairs to eliminate sexual misconduct and gender-based violence for support survivors and military

• Extension of interest-free period for student and apprentice loans in Canada to March 31, 2023, at a cost to the government of roughly $392.7 million in 2022-2023.

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Trent University Honours Top Student-Athletes At Virtual Athletics Celebration

It was a fantastic season for Lauryn Bons and Thomas Reid as they were awarded the Arthur Cup, Trent University’s highest athletics award to graduating students for outstanding contribution, sportsmanship, participation and leadership in athletic programs on April 9.

Thomas Reid (left) and Lauryn Bons (right) are originally from Orillia and Trenton, Ontario respectively. Photo Courtesy of Trent University.

The awards were given at Trent’s Excalibur Awards banquet in a virtual setting to honour all of their athletes.

Bons was the female recipient for rugby as an inside back from 2017-2021. She will earn her Bachelor of Science degree in psychology at the end of the semester.

She earned the Ontario University Athletics (OUA) women’s rugby for her outstanding commitment to extracurricular activities in the 2019-2020 season.

“It was an absolute honour to be this year's Arthur Cup award recipient,” said Bons. “My four years at Trent has been an absolutely amazing experience and I am so thankful for my teammates, coaches and professors who have supported me both athletically and academically throughout my degree - I could not have done it without them.”

Bons (right) has played every single position in rugby except for the hooker position. Photo Courtesy of Lauryn Bons.

Reid earned the top male honours in men’s soccer as the team’s captain and as a centre-back defender. He is finishing his fourth year in biology with a minor in psychology and has been on the honour roll for four years running.

“I know a lot of great athletes and great people have won this award in the past so it certainly is an honour to share this award with them as well,” said Reid. “I was actually surprised to find out that I won because there are so many deserving athletes at Trent.”

Reid was named “Rookie of the Year” for Trent men’s soccer in 2017. Photo Courtesy of Thomas Reid.

Both award-winning students are founding members of the 1EX Council, a student-athlete leadership council dedicated to enhancing the overall experience of Excalibur athletes.

Their leadership and high standard in academics earned them the award according to Deborah Bright-Brundle, director of athletics and recreation.

“Lauryn and Thomas have been exemplary representatives of Trent Excalibur, who have demonstrated leadership in this very different year,” she said. “They have demonstrated leadership for their team and for Trent Athletics overall.”

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StoosNews Spotlight: Check Out The Business Beat This Week Featuring Nomad Striking Company, Inspire, Trillium Automobile Dealers Association and 2021 Business Summit

Mike Doherty has renamed and relocated his business. Formerly Dohjo Muay Thai & Fitness on Charlotte street, Mike has renamed his company Nomad Striking Academy and set up a new studio at 1748 Syer Line in Fraserville, just South of Kawartha Downs.

Mike has classes for kids, teens, adults and special needs in Muay Thai, Kickboxing, and Boxing. You’ll find Nomad Striking Academy on Facebook and Instagram.

Inspire: The Women’s Portrait Project has extended the deadline for their #SheInspiresMe project to April 22 at midnight.

Inspire, conceived by local photographer Heather Doughty, is dedicated to celebrating inspiring women. This year, in a wonderful pandemic pivot, Heather is handing the lens over to YOU. If there is a woman in your life who inspires you, just submit a photo along with two or three sentences by Thursday at midnight.

Congratulations to Michael Eatson, Dealer Principal at Peterborough Volkswagen on being selected as President of the Trillium Automobile Dealers Association (TADA) at their recent Annual General Meeting.

TADA represents over 1,100 new car dealers in Ontario. Eatson is planning to focus his term on attracting the next generation of auto professionals, and the post-pandemic recovery. He is also following in his father, Peter’s footsteps, who was President in 2002.

The Greater Peterborough Chamber of Commerce and Peterborough & the Kawarthas Economic Development are presenting the 2021 Business Summit all this week.

There is no charge to attend the online events which will focus on recovery, foster connections and offer knowledge on upcoming trends.

Workshops include photography, email marketing, inventory management, the customer experience, a funders forum and the daily networking tournament. Get your free tickets at the Peterborough Chamber’s official website.

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