Peterborough and the Kawarthas Association of REALTORS Members Donate to YWCA Peterborough Haliburton

YWCA Peterborough Haliburton has been chosen as Peterborough and the Kawarthas Association of Realtor’s (PKAR REALTOR) selected charity of 2021 resulting in a donation of $23,318.74.

Photo courtesy of YWCA.

Each year PKAR REALTOR members select a registered charity to support, through the RealtorsCare Foundation of Ontario, with a focus on initiatives that directly benefit shelter-based needs in our community.

“It is integral for us to get behind this meaningful organization and contribute towards helping provide support for women who experience violence and abuse,” said Jon Maxwell, president of PKAR. “As a result of the generosity of our REALTOR members over the years, PKAR is proud to have donated over $100,000.00 to local charities like the YWCA.”

“YWCA Peterborough Haliburton is honoured to receive this generous donation from PKAR in order to provide much-needed safe shelter and support for local women and children experiencing gender-based violence,” said Kim Dolan, Executive Director of YWCA Peterborough Haliburton. “The need at YWCA Crossroads Shelter has increased as a result of the pandemic and we are immensely thankful to PKAR’s membership for their dedicated and compassionate response.”

YWCA Peterborough Haliburton provides safe shelter, resources and support to help women safely escape violent situations, build upon their existing strength, and move forward in their lives.

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Petes Mason McTavish Invited to Canada’s National Junior Team Selection Camp

Petes forward Mason McTavish has been invited to Canada’s National Junior Team Selection Camp from Dec 9 - 13 in Calgary, Alberta by Hockey Canada announced on Wednesday.

Photo Courtesy of the Peterborough Petes.

“It’s an honour to be invited to Hockey Canada’s camp,” said McTavish. “I love wearing the Canadian jersey and representing my country. I always dreamt of playing in the World Juniors during Christmas and I’m excited to put the work in to make the team.”

McTavish scored four goals in two games with the Petes. On Nov. 26, the 6’1”, 205 lbs centerman was named Canadian Hockey League (CHL) Player of the Night after scoring a hat-trick in his season debut.

McTavish was selected third overall by the Anaheim Ducks in the 2021 NHL Draft and recorded three points (two goals, one assist) and a +3 rating in nine games with Anaheim this season.

In the Ducks' season opener and his NHL debut, he became the youngest goalscorer in Ducks history (18 years, 256 days) for his first career goal.

In addition to suiting up for Anaheim, the Petes fifth overall pick in the 2019 OHL Priority Selection suited up for the Ducks’ AHL affiliate San Diego Gulls, recording two points (one goal, one assist) in three games. 

On the international stage, McTavish served as alternate captain, helping Team Canada win gold for the first time since 2013 at the 2021 U18 IIHF World Championship in Texas. He finished the tournament with 11 points (five goals, six assists) in seven games, ranking fifth overall in the tournament and tied second on Team Canada.

In his rookie season with the Petes, the Carp, Ontario, who was born in Zurich, Switzerland recorded 29 goals and 13 assists for 42 points, finishing second in the OHL rookie scoring race. He was also named to the OHL 2nd All-Rookie team.

McTavish attended Canada’s National Junior Team summer development camp from July 28-August 4 2021 at the Seven Chiefs Sportsplex on the Tsuut’ina Nation near Calgary.

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Dr. Thomas Piggott Welcomed as Peterborough Public Health’s New Medical Officer of Health

Dr. Thomas Piggott arrived early Wednesday morning to a warm staff welcome and full slate of community health briefings to start his first day on the job as Peterborough Public Health’s new Medical Officer of Health and CEO.

Photo courtesy of Peterborough Public Health.

“I’m excited to finally be here and join the tremendous team at Peterborough Public Health,” said Dr. Piggott. “My top priority is to connect with as many of our stakeholders as possible to understand local priorities and how together we can strategically advance the public health of our community.”

In addition to taking over as Incident Commander for the local COVID-19 Emergency Response, Dr. Piggott will be meeting with representatives across every sector in the community in the coming weeks, including local Indigenous leaders, municipalities, healthcare and social service organizations, education institutions, businesses, environmental groups, and many more. He will also serve on numerous provincial committees as well, including the Council of Ontario Medical Officers of Health.

“While there are many pressing issues locally and opportunities for positive change, addressing the opioid crisis and responding to climate change are areas I expect will become a major focus for us in the years ahead,” stated Dr. Piggott. “There is already a great deal of good work happening on these fronts and I want to help our team focus on equity, or fairness, in these areas and all of the work we do. For now, the priority will be the continued pandemic response and I commit to evidence-based and transparent local decision-making to guide collaborative efforts in keeping this community safe and healthy.”

Dr. Piggott’s first public speaking engagement will take place on Thursday at the next bi-weekly COVID-19 media briefing.

He will also be presenting a virtual education session on Dec. 9 at 6:30 p.m. for parents and caregivers with questions about the COVID-19 vaccine for children aged five to 11 years.

He is planning to attend several local upcoming municipal council meetings as well, starting with a budget presentation to the County of Peterborough Council on Dec. 15.

“There's a lot of work to do, but for today, I'm just excited to start getting to know the fantastic team that I'm joining and the people and organizations in this wonderful community.”

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Lakefield Animal Welfare Society Hosting Kitten Adopt-A-Thon

The Lakefield Animal Welfare Society is hosting an adopt-a-thon on Sunday, in hopes to find homes for the kittens currently in foster homes through the agency.

Photo courtesy of Lakefield Animal Welfare Society.

There will be approximately ten kittens of all different ages, genders and colours up for adoption on Sunday.

The kittens are currently living in foster homes, and will be ready to go home with a new family immediately after the event. It is suggested that those attending come with a cat carrier.

There is a $150 charge to adopt a kitten, but $50 of that will be returned after the kitten is spayed or neutered (they are currently too young to do so).

“Sometimes the kittens become available all at once, like this, and it’s easier to have all of the foster parents bring the kittens here all at once,” said Dee Hargreaves, staff at LAWS.

Hargreaves notes that during Sunday’s event only kittens will be available for adoption.

To book an appointment for viewings call 705-652-0588.

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Peterborough Petes Battling Cancer In 13th Annual Pink in the Rink Game

The 13th annual Peterborough Petes Pink in the Rink event to benefit the Canadian Cancer Society has a date to help benefit cancer patients and survivors announced on Tuesday.

Meaghan Roy (left) and Doug Gibson (right) with the 2014 Petes Pink in the Rink jersey. Since working at CHEX in 2007, Roy became the first female sports anchor at CHEX in 2014. Gibson played three seasons with the Petes from 1971-73, breaking Mickey Redmond’s goal-scoring mark and competing in the 1972 Memorial Cup final. Photo by David Tuan Bui.

The game is held on Feb. 5 against the Niagara IceDogs with a fundraising goal of over $50,000. All proceeds support the Canadian Cancer Society with a focus on cancer commonly found primarily in women.

"For the first time, the Canadian Cancer Society has shifted their focus to more of their national events so the Petes get to work directly with the Pink in the Rink committee of volunteers to run this event,” said Burton Lee, Petes executive director of business operations.

Petes Alumnus Doug Gibson and sports anchor Meaghan Roy were named as honourary co-chairs for the upcoming event.

"They are two local sports legends if not just straight-up legends,” explained Lee. “We're pretty happy to have them leading the way from a publicity standpoint as we build towards the campaign.”

The digital design of the 2022 Petes Pink in the Rink jersey. In 12 years of the campaign, the Petes have raised $812,099 for Canadian Cancer Society. Photo Courtesy of the Peterborough Petes.

New to this year’s event, fans can purchase names for $20 each to be placed on the jersey to honour and commemorate someone who has been affected by cancer. Contact the Petes Store at (705) 743-3681 or online to purchase a name.

This year’s jersey will feature the Canadian Cancer Society patch on the left shoulder and alumnus Gary “Diller” Dalliday patch will be on the right shoulder.

Fans can also purchase discounted tickets specifically for anyone diagnosed with cancer, cancer survivors, impacted families or volunteers for them to enjoy a Petes game.

"We know that there are so many people here who work tirelessly to help fight cancer but maybe don't get to have a bit of a break sometimes,” said Lee. “For the Pink in the Rink game night, we've offered discounts for anyone who wants to donate to those people who want to come and enjoy the game and maybe take it all in with the community members who also want to end cancer.”

Fans can support this campaign by participating in Euchre Night at Southside Pizzeria and Darling Insurance Chilifest. Other events such as Petes Celebrity Servers at Kelsey's and Montanas will support the cause with dates pending.

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4th Line Theatre Hosts Storytelling Workshop To Kick Off 30th Anniversary

4th Line Theatre is kicking off its 30th anniversary with a storytelling workshop run by storyteller and writer Deb Williams over two days announced on Monday.

Deb Williams (pictured) last worked with 4th Line Theatre directing the 2018 production of Ian McLachlan and Robert Winslow’s Crow Hill: A Telephone Play. Photo Courtesy of 4th Line Theatre.

The online storytelling workshop will run on Jan. 22 and 23 from 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.

Williams will share her decades of storytelling expertise, to give each participant the tools to create and share a truly compelling story or stories.

After the workshop, participants will be welcomed to read and tell their stories in a virtual event via Zoom, which will be live-streamed on 4th Line Theatre’s YouTube channel on Jan. 28.

“Deb Williams is a master storyteller,” says Kim Blackwell, managing artistic director. “The first time she ever told one of her stories at the farm, I almost fell to the ground. The images she created are still with me. This company is all about stories and Deb is the master storyteller to work with people itching to craft their lived experiences into compelling oral narratives.”

“Good storytelling is not easy but with instructions, listening and repetition, everyone can do it,” said Williams. “And with practice, good storytellers become great.”

Participants will learn what elements make an experience ready for a story, the skills to craft it, the ability to shareit in front of others and gain a new group of colleagues and friends. This online storytelling workshop is open to novice, intermediate and accomplished storytellers to grow and challenge themselves.

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Peterborough Public Health Activates Extreme Cold Response Plan

With an early start to the winter and colder weather ahead, Peterborough Public Health has activated its Extreme Cold Response Plan (ECRP) to advise residents on the best way to protect their health when temperatures plummet.

Photo courtesy of The City of Peterborough

“We all need to take precautions during cold weather to prevent illness and injuries such as frostbite and hypothermia,” said Julie Ingram, Manager of Environmental Health. “Most healthy people can tolerate a short period of cold weather if they are dry and properly dressed. Our alert system is designed to advise the public when there is an increased risk and what actions they can take to prevent cold weather-related injuries.”

Ingram noted that trend data indicates a doubling in the rate of local emergency department visits related to cold exposure between 2009 and 2018. In addition, between September 2020 and October 2021, there were 26 emergency department visits in the Peterborough area related to cold exposure.

People who are more vulnerable to the risks of cold temperatures include the elderly, infants less than one year old, people with a history of cardiovascular disease such as heart attacks and strokes, and people who are homeless or marginally housed. People who are homeless in particular spend long periods of time outside and can suffer increased health effects from the cold even at warmer temperatures.

Peterborough Public Health’s ECRP has three levels of notification:

• Frostbite Alert

• Frostbite Warning

• Cold Weather Emergency

The most common form of extreme cold notification is a Frostbite Alert. Last season, there were four Frostbite Alerts issued, and none from the other two categories. Frostbite alerts are issued when temperatures are forecasted to be from -27° to -38° Celsius or a wind chill of -27° to -38° Celsius. In these conditions, exposed skin can freeze in as little as 10 to 30 minutes. Residents are advised to take the following precautions:

• cover unprotected skin

• avoid prolonged outdoor exposure

• drink warm fluids

• check on neighbours

• maintain a warm indoor environment (ideally 20° Celsius or warmer)

Notifications of frostbite alerts and warnings will be posted on www.peterboroughpublichealth.ca and Peterborough Public Health’s Facebook, Instagram and Twitter accounts, as well as issued to the media and stakeholder groups when the forecasted temperature or wind chill may result in an increased risk of frostbite. Most townships and Curve Lake First Nation post extreme weather alerts on their websites and social media channels.

City of Peterborough Social Services also has a Cold Weather Protocol that takes effect in cold weather, which may trigger extended hours of operation for the Drop-In program.

When Social Services activates their Cold Weather Protocol they will share information regarding the locations and times of emergency shelters and any relevant outreach programs, as well as reminders to get out of the cold during periods of extreme cold.

A cold alert will be issued by Social Services when the temperature drops below -15° Celsius with a wind chill.

One Roof Community Centre drop-in at 99 Brock St. will extend their hours of operation during a cold alert from 8:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Normal hours of operation for drop-ins is from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. with a take away meal available between 1 p.m. to 2 p.m.

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Peterborough Petes Player Named OHL Goaltender of the Week

Peterborough Petes goaltender Tye Austin is the OHL Goaltender of the Week after winning a pair of games while posting a 2.50 goals-against average and .923 save percentage announced Monday.

Tye Austin suffered an injury in the Petes home opener against the Oshawa Generals on Oct. 14. Photo Courtesy of the Peterborough Petes.

Austin recently returned from injury and turned aside 60 of the 65 shots that came his way last week. He made 19 saves in Thursday’s 5-3 win over the visiting North Bay Battalion, snapping the Troops’ four-game winning streak in Mason McTavish’s return to the Petes lineup.

Austin provided a season-high 41 saves in Sunday’s 3-2 win over the Ottawa 67’s, earning first-star recognition as the Petes were outshot 43-29, earning their third straight win.

"I was able to have a quick recovery time because of all the awesome doctors in Peterborough the Petes medical staff,” explained Austin. “Natasha Legacé and Chelsea McQuade provided me with great support and worked with me day to day doing different exercises so that I was able to focus on coming back strong. I'm excited to be back, this group has a special bond and has been playing really well together lately.”

A 19-year-old from Pembroke, Ont., Austin missed a month of action with a shoulder injury, returning to the Petes’ lineup on Nov. 18. The 6-foot-6, 200Ib. netminder is 3-2-0-0 with a 3.83 goals-against average and .888 save percentage in six games this season.

Selected by the Petes in the third round (43rd overall) of the 2018 OHL Priority Selection, Austin owns a career mark of 14-16-0-1 with a 4.16 goals-against average and .877 save percentage through 42 career regular-season games in maroon and white.

Also considered for this week’s award, last week’s recipient Ben Gaudreau of the Sarnia Sting was strong once again, going 1-1-0-0 with a 2.03 goals-against average and .937 save percentage in two games. London Knights goaltender Brett Brochu was kept busy, making 113 saves over three outings. He posted a 2.95 goals-against average and .926 save percentage as the Knights went 2-1-0-0.

2021-22 OHL Goaltenders of the Week – Regular Season:

• Nov. 22 – Nov. 28: Tye Austin (Peterborough Petes)

• Nov. 15 – Nov. 21: Ben Gaudreau (Sarnia Sting)

• Nov. 8 – Nov. 14: Joe Vrbetic (North Bay Battalion

• Nov. 1 – Nov. 7: Roman Basran (Mississauga Steelheads)

• Oct. 25 – Oct. 31: Patrick Leaver (Oshawa Generals)

• Oct. 18 – Oct. 24: Jacob Oster (Guelph Storm)

• Oct. 11 – Oct. 17: Brett Brochu (London Knights)

• Oct. 4 – Oct. 10: Tucker Tynan (Niagara IceDogs)

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Free Online Information Session About COVID-19 Vaccine for Ages 5-11

A free online information session regarding the COVID-19 vaccine for kids ages 5-11 will be held by Peterborough Public Health announced Monday.

Stock Photo.

The live online session will be on Dec. 9 at 6:30 p.m. on Peterborough Public Health’s YouTube channel. Dr. Thomas Piggot, local medical officer of health, for parents and guardians about the paediatric COVID-19 vaccine will be on the stream to field questions and address the public.

“Dr. Piggott is looking forward to connecting with parents, caregivers and youth and sharing the latest information on the paediatric COVID-19 vaccine,” said Donna Churipuy, public health programs director. “This will be one of his first opportunities to engage with the community and address the questions residents have about the paediatric COVID-19 vaccine as we work together to keep everyone safe from the coronavirus.”

Dr. Piggott will be joined by local paediatrician, Dr. Henry Ukpeh. Dr. Ukpeh will share his professional experience and knowledge of paediatric vaccinations to help parents and guardians make an informed choice about permitting their children to receive the COVID-19 vaccine for those aged 5-11.

Their presentation will cover the latest updates on the paediatric COVID-19 vaccine roll-out, an overview of the COVID-19 vaccine approved for use in children ages 5-11 and wrap up with a section on frequently asked questions.

Dr. Piggott and Dr. Ukpeh invite residents to ask questions in advance. They will try to address as many questions in their presentation. Residents who wish to submit questions in advance will be invited to do so as part of the online registration process. Residents who do not wish to submit a question can tune into the Peterborough Public Health YouTube channel on Dec. 9 at 6:30 p.m. for a live stream for the event.

Online registration is available on www.eventbrite.ca and search for “5-11 COVID-19 Vaccine information Session” or clicking here. The event will be lived streamed for free on Peterborough Public Health’s YouTube channel.

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Local Boy Gives Rousing Pre-Game Speech For Peterborough Petes Next Gen Game

The hockey world has been put on notice as six-year-old Callan Perks coached the Peterborough Petes to a 3-2 victory over the Ottawa 67’s with a pre-game speech on Sunday.

Perks was part of 10 kids aged 5-12 selected by the Petes for their Next Gen game. The day allowed the children a chance to join the Petes hockey operations and entertainment staff and participate in their respective roles. Petes general manager Michael Oke had the kids sign one-day contracts in a press conference at the Peterborough Memorial Centre on Sunday.

The one-day coach was introduced by Petes assistant coach Andrew Verner as Perks motivated the team with a speech and announced the starting lineup for Sunday’s game.

"It was a dream come true going into the dressing room and give the speech,” said Perks.

Callan Perks (middle) signed a one-day contract as the Peterborough Petes Next Gen head coach on Sunday. Screenshot.

All applicants for a coaching position had to sent a video of a pre-game speech to the Petes before a game. Perks was in disbelief when we found out the Petes had selected him as the Next Gen head coach.

"I was so excited, it just felt awesome,” explained Perks. “I didn’t know I was going to get picked because there was a bunch of people. It was awesome to get the opportunity."

Perks wrote letters to several hockey players to send them well wishes and to stay strong during the season. He has sent them to teams such as the Toronto Maple Leafs, Ottawa Senators and Montréal Canadiens.

The six-year-old wants to be an NHL player when he grows up. He plans to be a hockey coach or general manager following his hockey-playing career.

Perks is a grade 2 student at Lakefield District Public School. He has skated since he was two and started playing hockey as a centreman when he was three.

His favourite NHL team is the Edmonton Oilers with Connor McDavid as his favourite player.

Ten children signed one-day contracts as Next Gen staff in a press conference held on Sunday. Photo Courtesy of the Peterborough Petes.

The following is the list of children selected for the Next Gen game:

• Next Gen Head Coach - Callan Perks

• Next Gen General Manager - Wynn Jennings

• Next Gen Associate Coach - Jack Ingram

• Next Gen Assistant Coach - Bodie MacGregor

• Next Gen Assistant Coach - Londyn Panter

• Next Gen Scout - Emerson Birkhoff

• Next Gen Scout - Hadley Jennings

• Next Gen Scout - Silas Saldovski

• Next Gen PA Announcer - Oliver Ingram

• Next Gen In-Game Host - Pyper Lypsett

"I love skating and I love the game,” exclaimed Perks. “It's awesome just to be on a team.”

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