Peterborough Public Health Offers Workplace Guidance As Restrictions Loosen

Peterborough Public Health (PPH) recommends that workplaces continue vaccination-related measures as provincial public health regulations ease announced Monday.

Photo by David Tuan Bui.

PPH urges the measures to continue to protect employees, patrons and all vulnerable residents from spreading COVID-19.

These measures include maintaining workplace vaccination policies and supporting businesses continuing vaccination proof requirements. Masking in public settings remains mandatory in Ontario.

“The loosening of provincial public health measures signals that we have reached a turning point of this pandemic such that our health system is not at risk of being overwhelmed,” said Dr. Thomas Piggott, Medical Officer of Health. “Unfortunately, COVID-19 is still very much present in our community and transmission is still occurring. It is up to us as individuals and as a community to protect those at greatest risk of severe health outcomes from COVID-19. Luckily, we have the tools available to do this.”

He noted that high vaccination rates continue to be the most important ways to prevent COVID-19 and is recommending for all workplaces and organizations to have a COVID-19 vaccination policy.

According to PPH, emerging evidence indicates that three doses of an mRNA vaccine is 60 per cent effective at reducing transmission and 90 per cent effective at reducing mortality from COVID-19 while simultaneously reducing the severity of illness and hospitalization.

PPH urges workplaces to require employees to have three doses. The Verify Ontario app is still available and the Ontario government will continue to provide access to COVID-19 vaccination certificates with a QR code.

Employees and patrons must wear a mask in public indoor spaces, including:

• public spaces (for example, inside stores, event spaces, entertainment facilities and common areas in hotels)

• workplaces, even those that are not open to the public

• vehicles that operate as part of a business or organization, including taxis and rideshares

“There isn’t a silver bullet or quick fix that will end this pandemic – it will be a series of public health measures implemented over a period time that will reduce the spread of the virus,” explained Julie Ingram, Manager of Environmental Health. “Wearing a tight-fitting mask when you are in indoor public places is one way though, that we can slow the spread of the virus.”

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Easter Seals Hits Two Milestones For Upcoming Telethon

On their 100th anniversary, the 50th Easter Seals Telethon kicks off its fundraising campaign to provide support for children and youth with physical disabilities beginning Thursday.

Easter Seals Telethon hosts from 2019. Photo courtesy of Easter Seals Peterborough.

The Telethon will be broadcasted on April 10 from 10 a.m. to 4 a.m. on YourTV and Global News but the campaign is currently seeking donations.

Easter Seals will virtually announce their goal on Thursday and check in with past ambassadors and local notables. Guests include Deputy Mayor Kemi Akapo; Kevin Collins, Easter Seals CEO; Stu Harrison; Graham Hart; Mike Melnik; Teresa Kazsuba; Catherine Hanrahan and Caley Bedore.

The raised funds provide financial assistance for mobility equipment, communication devices and summer camp opportunities for youth with physical disabilities.

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StoosNews Spotlight: Check Out The Business Beat This Week Featuring The Market, Essential Occupational Therapy and The Cannabis Forest

PTBOCanada is delighted to be running StoosNews columns each week here, spotlighting new businesses and startups in Peterborough and the Kawarthas. Here is this week’s edition…

The Market on Stoney Lake is undergoing a major renovation under the new owners, the Errington’s and the Lang’s.

The reno is top to bottom including a new top floor three-bedroom vacation rental, enclosing part of the patio, increasing the indoor seating capacity with a new bar, moving the ice cream parlour to their secondary building, increasing the LCBO and market inventory and completely upgrading the commercial kitchen.

They are shooting for a May opening and then will remain open year-round. Located at Crowes Landing on Stoney Lake, check it out at stoneylakemarket.com or on social media.

Meanwhile The Market in Lakefield recently reopened after an interior facelift.

Owner Lee Galley has adjusted his product mix and presentation, spruced things up and is excited to be introducing fresh new signage shortly. The Market specializes in its signature produce, gourmet specialty items, local, organic meat and freshly baked delights, with an emphasis on supporting local producers and growers. themarketlakefield.ca or find them on Facebook.

Kim Lamont and Associates recently rebranded to Essential Occupational Therapy. A Team of five, they provide in-home, workplace and community-based assessment and treatment, a brain injury and concussion program, anxiety, operational and post-traumatic stress treatment, chronic pain rehab, accident recovery, post-covid syndrome and more.

Funded sources include WSIB, Veterans Affairs Canada, auto insurance and some workplaces. Visit otservices.ca

The Cannabis Forest recently opened in Havelock. Located at 2 Ottawa street, owners Samantha and Patrick Hogan pride themselves on their locally owned business and their modern space offering cannabis, concentrates, edibles, vape cartridges and a variety of CBD products.

They also have accessories such as grinders, vaporizers, bongs, pipes, and rolling papers and they’ll have some fancy branded apparel on the shelves soon. Visit cannabisforest.shop or on social media.

“Like” StoosNews page on Facebook here!

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Peterborough Graphic Designer Emma Scott Looks Back On The Condom Design Contest That Gave Her A Kickstart In Creativity

Local business owner Emma Scott is enjoying her time in the spotlight as a condom wrapper design she made as part of a contest through 2013 - 2019 is circulating again.

Scott with her two winning 2017 designs, inspired by Canada. Photo by Angela O’Grady.

Scott entered a contest held by ONE Condom, a company based in the U.S, after she graduated as a graphic designer and was working as a server.

“I was serving so I wasn’t really doing anything to do with graphic design,” she said. “Someone sent me the contest and I just went wild with it. It was almost like getting back into the art world after just ignoring it, it was a good way back into it for sure.”

Recently, her design was featured in a New York Post article, which brought back her punny creations.

Scott notes that this contest is held every year, and as an aspiring graphic designer at the time she entered, the prize money was significant in comparison to similar contests.

Her design ‘ONE beanie for your weenie’ placed first in 2019, voted by a panel of judges.

Scott’s winning 2019 entry. Photo courtesy of ONE Condoms.

In 2017 the company held “ONE Canada Design Contest” and encouraged entrants to draw inspiration from Canadian culture.

Scott submitted three designs, and won the first and second place spot.

Scott calls this design ‘the one that got away’ as it was ultimately disqualified from the contest for potential copyright issues. Photo courtesy of Emma Scott Design.

With her multiple wins in the annual contest, Scott has acquired multiple years supplies of condoms.

“So many people were like ‘what do they assume a lifetime supply is?’ It was a lot,” she laughed. “It just became a joke, bringing them to things and giving them to friends or mailing them out.”

She also had the opportunity to donate a large quantity to the organization of her choosing. She chose Sistering, a women’s shelter in Toronto, and to George brown College.

Scott says that winning this contest was a great kick-starter for her business, and she still does freelance work for ONE Condom on occasion.

Now, Scott owns and operates Emma Scott Design in Peterborough and specializes in logo design and brand development.

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Ukrainian Couple Living In Peterborough Voice Their Concern And Their Hope Amid Russian Invasion

Aleks and Iryna Goloborodko left Ukraine and made a new life in Peterborough in 2014, when Russia invaded and subsequently annexed their hometown of Crimea.

Aleks and Iryna came to Peterborough to join their son, who was attending Trent University at the time.

“We love Peterborough so much, it’s mine. It’s my home town,” said Aleks. “It’s a small town with very friendly people. All my life I haven’t liked big cities, they’re too noisy, too fast. Now my heart is here in Peterborough. I thank god he sent us here.”

Now living in Canada, watching the news and hearing stories from friends and family still in Ukraine, the couples hearts are breaking for their home country.

“Half of our hearts are here in Canada with our son and the second half of our hearts are in Ukraine, with our daughters family,” said Iryna. “It is so hard, but even being here in Canada we are still so close to our Ukraine.”

The Goloborodko’s son works at Peterborough Regional Health Centre but their daughter and her family still live in Ukraine.

While naturally they worry for the safety of their daughter, grandchildren and friends in Ukraine, they are both hopeful and confident that the citizens of Ukraine will continue to resist against Russian occupiers.

“We are very worried with what we’re seeing in Ukraine, because it’s the same thing we were seeing in Crimea 2014,” said Aleks. “But now it’s real war. This Russian attack, it’s something we thought would never happen. Never, ever. The Russian and Ukrainian people were so close.”

During their time in the PTBOCanada studio ‘Glory to Ukraine’ was repeated too many times to count as they voiced their admiration for the Ukrainian people.

“Regular people in Ukraine are ready to fight for their freedom, I am sure of that,” said Iryna. “Nobody called the Russian military to Ukraine, they came to our land. Ukrainians will never stop fighting. Ukraine is an independent country, we will never live in one country with Russia.”

“I am so proud of the Ukrainian army. To fight against this monster- they are heroes,” said Aleks. “Glory to Ukraine.”

They note that as soon as the ongoing conflict is resolved, any one that can should travel to their beautiful home country.

“After we win, you have to go,” said Aleks.

“Oh it was so beautiful,” said Iryna. “Now so much of our beautiful architecture has been bombed.”

Aleks, Iryna and their son who attended Trent University. Photo courtesy of Aleks Goloborodko.

Though they are now settled in Peterborough, the two reflect on being a refugee to the city, and note that they are ready to help any refugees that may come now because of the ongoing crisis.

While living in Ukraine Aleks owned a real estate and notary agency and Iryna was a lawyer working as a law professor.

Now, Aleks drives a truck for a living and is an artist. Iryna has completed her para-legal studies at Fleming College and hopes to find a job in the city.

The couple says Peterborough has welcomed them, and continue to show support now.

“We are so grateful to our church family,” said Iryna. “They’ve offered to help the people of Ukraine, and our family. We thank all of Canada - they’ve been so supportive.”

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Curve Lake Honoured By Lakefield Chiefs In Partnership At Last Regular-Season Game

Curve Lake First Nation was honoured with a plaque unveiling by the Lakefield Chiefs to celebrate their partnership in their last regular-season game on Tuesday.

(from left to right) Carson Hartwick, Lakefield Chiefs assistant captain; Shawn Dunbar, Chiefs general manager; Michael Battaglia; Andy Mitchell, Selwyn mayor; Anita Locke, Lakefield Ward Councillor: Jeff Jacobs, Deputy Chief of Curve Lake First Nation; Assistant General Manager of Lakefield Chiefs Junior Hockey Club George Ripoll, Chiefs assistant general manager and Jake Hagen, Georgina Ice assistant captain. Photo courtesy of the Lakefield Chiefs.

The plaque is located in the main lobby of the Lakefield-Smith Community Centre that describes the team’s history and affiliation with the Curve Lake First Nation.

Another sign had a land acknowledgement statement of being on the treaty and traditional territory of the Michi Saagiig Anishinaabeg.

(from left to right) George Ripoll, Chiefs assistant general manager; Shawn Dunbar, Chiefs general manager; Jeff Jacobs, Deputy Chief of Curve Lake First Nation and Andy Mitchell, Selwyn mayor. Photo courtesy of the Lakefield Chiefs.

The Chiefs have been under fire in recent years for the use of Indigenous logos and names for the team’s branding. The plaque explains the team was formed in the 1960s by then-Curve Lake First Nation Chief Dalton Jacobs. The logo (also used by the NHL’s Chicago Blackhawks) is a symbol of strength and perseverance.

“The community and the players that come play for us, they know our winning culture,” said George Ripoll, Chiefs assistant general manager. “I think they need to understand how we were made and come from.”

As part of the team’s continued partnership with Curve Lake First Nation, the team will wear orange warm-up jerseys with the “Every Child Matters” slogan on the front.

Lakefield fell to the Georgina Ice 4-1 with Carson Hartwick as the lone goal-scorer for the Chiefs.

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Ontario Government Invests Over $360,000 Into Mental Health and Addictions Pilot Project to Aid 320 People

The Ontario Government is funding $367,480 to non-profit organization Right to Heal for mental health and addictions services for 320 people announced at the Peterborough County-City Paramedics on Friday.

Peggy Shaughnessy, Founder and President of Whitepath Consulting (pictured) has had her organization in operation since 2005. Photo by David Tuan Bui.

The project, “Moving Beyond Addiction” will service over a 16-month period will use the Redpath program via Whitepath Consulting to treat addictions by using psychology-based methods to identify the reasons behind substance abuse and developing the social, emotional and practical skills to move beyond addiction and fully reintegrate back into society.

“Individuals with addictions more often than not develop addictions by using substances to either feel something or numb something. The root cause is almost always trauma; whether it’s from abuse, mental health challenges or pain,” said MPP Dave Smith. “If we are truly going to address the mental health and addictions crisis, a wide variety of treatments options need to exist locally.”

The program will work under a referral process administered by the Elizabeth Fry Society, enabling the funding for the pilot to flow fully to program services.

Clients referred to the program will typically be homeless, at-risk of homelessness, living with mental health/addictions issues and trauma, or disconnected from appropriate services.

Peterborough Police, Peterborough County-City Paramedics and Peterborough Regional Health Centre can refer clients who have experienced or are at risk of experiencing opioid overdoses.

Health and social services can refer clients from places such as the Consumption and Treatment Services/Opioid Response Hub, Brock Mission, Cameron House, and One Roof Community Centre. The program accepts family and self-referrals.

“With the recent announcement regarding the Consumption and Treatment Services funding, this funding will help expand addiction treatment services in our area and allow funding for the Redpath program that has shown great success in other areas,” said Peggy Shaughnessy, Founder and President of Whitepath Consulting.

Once referred, clients will undergo a rigorous and evidence-based assessment to determine the correct treatment for their unique needs.

The assessment will consider multiple variables to determine their needs including backgrounds of trauma, abuse, domestic violence, housing status, financial situation, and level of substance abuse.

After the assessment, they will enter into one-on-one counselling and/or the Redpath Intervention Program. It consists of 21 counselling and training sessions in three-hour spans in both community and institutional settings.

Sessions focus on identifying trauma and the cause, understanding why a client uses substances, the development of coping mechanisms and practical, emotional and social skills.

Clients will enter an After Care Program, requiring two hours on a weekly basis for group training sessions focusing on personal development and fully reintegrating back into society.

“We have had the opportunity to connect clients to the program and are witnessing firsthand the impact Redpath has. We at Elizabeth Fry can see this program coming alive through our referrals from various connections within the health care and criminal justice sectors,” said Debbie Carriere, executive director of the Elizabeth Fry Society of Peterborough. “As someone who has completed this program myself, I can truly speak to the excellent opportunity this is bringing to our community for healing.”

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Hometown PTBO: Dean Morton Officiating His 1,000th NHL Game and His Lone NHL Goal

This week on Hometown PTBO, Pete Dalliday speaks with NHL referee Dean Morton shortly after officiating his 1,000th game and the story of Steve Yzerman assisting his only goal in one game in the NHL with the Detroit Red Wings.

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Norwood Woman Receives 4-H Ontario’s Most Distinguished Volunteer Award

Cathy Stockdale from Norwood is one of three recipients of the 2022 4-H Ontario Arbor Award, 4-H Ontario’s most distinguished volunteer award.

Cathy with her daughter Rebecca at a 4-H judging clinic . Photo courtesy of Cathy Stockdale.

4-H is a non-profit youth development organization that allows young people to learn about selected topics through fun, hands-on activities and mentorship.

The Peterborough 4-H association has several clubs across the county that teach about life skills.

“I’ve done it all from poultry to outdoors to crafting clubs, quilting, sewing, cooking, gardening, square dancing, even a giant veggie club,” she said.

All clubs are able to operate because of volunteers like Stockdale.

“I am getting close to 30 years of volunteering. It’s something that I did as a kid, then it eventually evolved into a leader position.”

Stockdale says that even though her own children are no longer participating in 4-H clubs, she continues to lead them because of how rewarding it is.

“Teaching kids a new skill and having them grasp that new skill, seeing the light go on when they figure it out is a very big reward. It's like watching the light bulb come on like ‘oh I can do this!’,” she said. “Watching that satisfaction of them completing that task is very rewarding for me as a leader.”

She notes that teaching young people life skills is something that does not seem to happen as often as it did years ago. Looking back to when she was in school she remembers learning basic skills like sewing, cooking and basic car maintenance.

“It's starting to come back - teaching these skills, we lost that for a while. 4-H has picked that up. Where else can you learn how to cook something and then have a meal at the end of the meeting? Or you grow a pumpkin and then see how big you can get them?”

Peterborough County 4-H ‘adopted’ a road in Peterborough County. Stockdale’s son spearheaded this idea. Here a group of members are cleaning up litter. Photo courtesy of Cathy Stockdale.

Recipients of the Arbor Award are nominated by their local Associations, and recipients are chosen by a committee of past recipients.

“Some girls got together and apparently nominated me for this award,” said Stockdale. “They got a bunch of letters together from people that I've worked with and volunteered with, they all wrote beautiful letters and they saved them for me so I could read them afterwards.”

According to the 4-H Ontario website, nominees must have shown significant leadership, initiative and made a positive impact on 4-H at various levels.

“You don’t know your self worth until you hear it from someone else's mouth. I am very blessed.”

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