Peterborough Stands With Ukraine Fundraiser Being Held At St Theresa Elementary School

A group of women from Peterborough have joined together to organize a fundraising event for Ukraine relief efforts at St Theresa Elementary school on April 30.

The team learning to make perogies ahead of the fundraiser. Photo courtesy of Jennifer Scriver.

As much of the world is watching horrors unfold in Ukraine, the feeling of wanting to do something to help is what brought Krystal LeBreton, Steph Logan, Kateryna Sysoieva, Jennifer Mahoney Scriver and Kaitlyn Cavanagh together.

The idea for a fundraiser happened when LeBreton was chatting with Sysoieva, who is from Ukraine.

“I said I wish something would be happening here, and she said ‘well, let’s just do it’,” said Syosieva. “I thought I don’t know what to do, I’m not that well connected and Krystal just said ‘don’t worry about it, I know what to do’.”

The five women, all connected by LeBreton, began planning in a WhatsApp group chat, some without ever meeting before.

“I feel like I’ve known these ladies forever now,” said Sysoieva, who came to Peterborough seven years ago with her two sons.

When Russia invaded Ukraine in February, Sysoieva’s mother, sister, grandfather and uncle were living in Western Ukraine. Since the invasion her mother and 86 year old grandfather have evacuated to Poland, though her sister and Uncle chose to stay. Her sister is volunteering with relief teams while looking after her uncle, who was a firefighter at the Chernobyl Nuclear Plant during the 1986 disaster.

Sysoieva’s sister will help decide what to do with part of the funds raised at the event, as she knows what Ukrainians on the ground need.

Funds will also be donated to Meest, an organization that is delivering humanitarian supplies to Ukraine, and to World Central Kitchen, an organization delivering fresh meals to recently liberated Ukrainian cities.

The event, hosted at St Theresa’s Elementary School will take place from 11 a.m. - 2 p.m. on April 30. It will feature a raffle, silent auction, bake sale, a 1 km race and more. Sysoieva has also been working hard to teach the other organizers how to make authentic Ukrainian perogies, which will be sold at the fundraiser both fresh and frozen.

“The reaction from the community has been overwhelming,” said Logan. “We’ve already seen so much support and donations coming in from people we don’t even know.”

“There’s been a lot of small businesses owners that have reached out to donate an item or a service which just shows what an amazing community Peterborough is,” said Mahoney Scriver.

Organizers have been posting silent auction items as they have been donated in their Facebook group.

Some items up for grabs are pieces by local artists, gift certificates for 4th Line Theatre, Wildfire Golf Club, massages, local photographers and more.

They are still accepting donations for raffle and silent auction prizes and note that no donation is too small.

To donate a prize or keep updated on the event visit their Facebook page.

“Its not just about Ukraine,” said Sysoieva. “It’s about the truth, it’s about democracy, it’s about beliefs and being who we are. Having rights and living the way we want to live. I think people are recognizing that.”

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Peterborough Petes Goalie Michael Simpson Named OHL Goaltender Of The Month

The OHL announced today that Michael Simpson has been named OHL Goaltender of the Month after helping the team qualify for the OHL Playoffs as he played to a 4-0-0-1 record with a 2.16 goals-against average, .928 save percentage and one shutout.

Photo courtesy of the Peterborough Petes.

Simpson won his final four starts of the season, turning aside all 37 shots for his first career OHL shutout on April 5th as the Petes defeated the Barrie Colts 1-0 in overtime. He stopped 20 of 21 on April 9th as the Petes beat the Niagara IceDogs 5-1, and rounded-out the season with a 28-save performance on April 17th as Peterborough defeated Kingston 6-3.

Simpson is the first Petes netminder to earn OHL Goaltender of the Month honours since Hunter Jones in October 2019.

A 19-year-old from London, Ont., Simpson played to a record of 20-18-3-1 with a 3.56 goals-against average and .891 save percentage in his first OHL season. The 6-foot, 188Ib. netminder was Peterborough’s 10th round (193rd overall) pick in the 2019 OHL Priority Selection from the London Jr. Knights U16 program.

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Voice of Business: Employment Insurance

It’s time to review Employment Insurance.

One out of every 20 jobs in Canada is currently going unfilled.

The Canadian Chamber of Commerce’s March 2022 Labour Force Survey reveals the total to be 830,000 jobs.

“It seems like every survey shows businesses laser-focused on two issues limiting their recovery and posing the most significant barrier to economic growth: supply chain disruptions and labour shortages. Most businesses believe supply chain disruptions are with us for another year, maybe two, but our members see no end to Canada’s labour shortage crisis,” states Leah Nord, Canadian Chamber of Commerce Senior Director of Workforce Strategies and Inclusive Growth.

It's going to take a multi-faceted approach to properly address our labour challenges. It will take involvement from all levels of government, public institutions and the private sector all working together.

The Canadian Chamber of Commerce is advocating that this is the time to modernize Employment Insurance. The Government of Canada is engaging in consultations on EI. The EI system has not been reviewed in 70 years, something the CCC calls a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to crack this stale nut wide open.

The CCC would like to see EI evolve towards becoming a talent development process that responds to the regional and sectoral labour market needs, supporting individuals through temporary job loss with financial and training resources. The CCC goes on to say that in order to achieve this we need a mechanism wherein all parties – business, labour and government – can engage in a meaningful and sustained way.

The latest unemployment numbers highlight that the issue is much bigger than simply getting people back to work. Unemployment dropped to the lowest it has been since 1974, hitting 5.3% in March. CCC Chief Economist Stephen Tapp expects to see the trend continue with unemployment dropping below 5% this year.

People are back to work.

It’s important to look at how we’re recovering. For example, Canada added 73,000 jobs in March of which 55,000 were men and 18,000 were women. Full-time work is leading growth, having added 93,000 jobs, while part-time employment dropped a further 20,000. While many people may prefer full-time work, part-time provides its own essential role in the economy by engaging people who require the added flexibility. Wages continue to rise, but struggle to keep pace with soaring inflation.

One key aspect of overhauling EI is to reposition people for the workforce. The system currently provides needed financial assistance while someone is out of work and essentially puts them back into the workforce to fill the same role they left. There is an opportunity to do better and use the EI process to develop much-needed talent.

We have to come to terms with the fact that dealing with such a large hole in our workforce is about more than finding enough bodies to fill those jobs. We can do better. We can modernize our workforce in ways that won’t require the same things to be done the same way we were doing them. Ultimately, this innovative approach to employment gaps will make our country more competitive.

Without access to talent for our businesses, our economy is at risk of stagnating. The timing couldn’t be worse considering the desperate situation many businesses are facing coming out of two years of COVID-19 public health measures.

The heart of our economy, our growth, and our prosperity is people. It’s time to do better about how we support, train, and engage our most valuable resource.

Content provided by the Peterborough and the Kawarthas Chamber of Commerce.

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Electric City Football Club Sign Three Players to Finalize Men's Team

The men’s team is set for the Electric City Football Club (ECFC) for their inaugural 2022 League 1 Ontario season as they signed Josh Penello, David Schaefer and midfielder Yuki Mandai as the team’s final signings on Tuesday.

Photo courtesy of ECFC.

Penello made the team after attending the open tryouts on April 2nd during a two-week training camp trial period. He played in a number of positions including fullback and midfield in the friendly last week against the Club’s U21 Reserve team Skillz FC before officially signing with the team.

Penello was a two-time OCAA All-Star and a two-time MVP during his college career with the Fleming Knights. Photo courtesy of ECFC.

“Josh is a perfect example of what we hope to bring to the youth soccer community in Peterborough,” said Rob Jenkins, ECFC president. “At a young age, he had to leave Peterborough to compete at a higher level and develop his skills to try to reach the next level. Our hope is that by bringing these opportunities to Peterborough we are going to see more players like Josh able to reach the next level right here in their hometown.”

The Peterborough native spent some time playing in the Toronto FC Academy system and came back to Peterborough with Cavan FC. During his time there, Penello led his team in winning the Ontario Soccer league’s Provincial East title in 2019, to gain promotion to the OSL Elite league.

“Growing up in the Peterborough area and wanting higher competition in soccer meant you had to travel to find it,” said Panello. “Having ECFC being developed in my hometown made me want to be a part of this franchise and see where it can take me and this city.”

Schaefer registered eight points in his third season with MRU. Photo courtesy of ECFC.

ECFC signed Mount Royal University striker David Schaefer. Schaefer is a 21-year-old attacker from Berlin, Germany and played for famous German Club BFC Dynamo Berlin with the U19’s before moving to Canada for school in 2018 and spent time with SV Empor Berlin during 2020.

“David is a player who the coaches were very impressed with during his trial here at ECFC. He went through a lot to get here and that is also very impressive. He was battling illness for a number of weeks prior to the tryout, he flew himself across the country and paid his own way to be here to be part of ECFC.” said Jenkins, “He is a clinical striker who will add to an already exciting group of attacking players at ECFC.”

Schaefer just finished his third year at MRU where he finished the season with seven goals in 12 games. He played his most recent club football with Peachtree City MOBA in Georgia in the USL 2.

“This is a professional environment that I am excited to thrive in,” said Schaefer. “The fans can expect to see a disciplined and intelligent attacker. I am a technical player that covers a lot of distance and has a good understanding of the game, and I will be giving it my all to help this club.”

Mandai scored four goals in a five-game stretch with the South Coast Flame FC from July 27 to Aug. 24. in 2019. Photo courtesy of ECFC.

Japanese midfielder Yuki Mandai rounds out the final signings for the men’s team. The 26-year-old joins ECFC after moving to Canada on his own in December in search of a professional club to play for.

He attended the open tryouts on April 2nd and got the invite to training camp.

“Yuki has come in and really showed us his personality on the ball and his values without the ball,” said Jamie Sherwood, ECFC Men’s Head Coach. “It is amazing that a player who has played on other continents has chosen Electric City FC as his home and we cannot wait to see what he brings to our game model.”

Mandai was playing for Tokyo International University while completing his studies. Upon graduation, he travelled to Australia where he signed a contract and played in the National Premier League with South Coast Flames FC in 2019. Mandai finished the season scoring six goals in 23 matches.

“I was interested in Electric City FC because of the club's project. After understanding what it is the club is aspiring to do, I registered for the open tryouts and was invited into the team’s training camp.” said Mandai. “After attending the team's training sessions, I immediately knew I wanted to play for this club.”

ECFC begins their 2022 League1 Ontario season on the road against the defending-champion Guelph United on Thursday night.

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Peterborough Police Warns Public Of Rental Scam Surge

Peterborough Police Service is warning the public to be cautious after they continue to receive reports about rental scams announced Tuesday.

Peterborough Police recommend to see the property before signing any lease. Photo by Luke Best.

The rental scam is where an online advertisement for a property is placed, a lease signed and money is exchanged (usually first and last rent) online. The rental unit in question is not actually for rent.

Police remind residents to be aware that fraud can happen at any time, consider checking to ensure the validity of an ad or purchase before exchanging money and keep your personal information private.  

If you are the victim of a fraud, please contact police. If it is a non-emergency, please call 705-876-1122 or report it online.

If it is an emergency, please call 9-1-1.

For tips on how to protect yourself and your information as well as the status of current frauds happening in Canada, visit the Anti-Fraud Centre website.

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Public Health Announces Additional COVID Vaccine Clinics

Additional COVID-19 vaccine clinics have been added to the provincial booking system for the Peterborough Public Health region, announced on Tuesday.

Stock Photo.

Clinics are now available to be booked from April 19 – May 13. Additional clinics for the month of May will be added within the next few weeks. Residents can find clinic details on the Peterborough Public Health vaccine clinic calendar.

Eligible residents can book an appointment using the provincial booking system. This can be done online (https://covid-19.ontario.ca/book-vaccine/) or over the phone at 1-833-943-3900.

Residents can learn about COVID-19 vaccine eligibility on the Peterborough Public Health vaccine clinic webpage using the COVID-19 vaccine immunization schedule or by calling the provincial vaccine booking call centre at 1-833-943-3900.

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Ballots Are Filling Up For Peterborough Kawartha Provincial Election

Ahead of the June Provincial election, most major parties in Peterborough-Kawartha have announced their candidates.

Queens Park. Stock Photo.

The Peterborough-Kawartha riding association of the Ontario NDP has announced Jen Deck as nomination candidate for the upcoming election.

Deck is a teacher and the Occasional Teacher President of the Kawartha Pine Ridge Teachers’ Local of the Elementary Teachers Federation Ontario (ETFO).

A nomination meeting will be held on Thursday to confirm Deck as candidate.

Robert Gibson has been announced Green party candidate.

Gibson is a regular contributor to The Arthur, Trent Universities newspaper, and also hosts a show on Trent Radio called “Environmental Soup”. His show focuses on both environmental and social issues.

Gibson studied environmental science and environmental studies at Trent University from 2018 to 2020.

Greg Dempsey was announced the Liberal Party candidate in November 2021.

Dempsey is a Peterborough native, has served in the Canadian Foreign Service, represented Canada at the UN in New York, at the Human Rights Council in Geneva, and in Kabul, Afghanistan.

Tom Marazzo, a spokesperson during the Freedom Convoy protests in Ottawa and former Canadian military member is the candidate for the Ontario Party.

Dylan Smith, a pension administrative assistant, is running in Peterborough-Kawartha for the None of the Above Party. The None of the Above party was formed as a response to party members displeasure with all political parties.

Progressive Conservative Incumbent Dave Smith will also be on the ballot.

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Peterborough Petes Face the Hamilton Bulldogs In First-Round Playoff Matchup

After riding a four-game winning streak into the playoffs, the Peterborough Petes have drawn the top-seeded Hamilton Bulldogs in the first round with game one on Thursday at 7 p.m.

The Peterborough Petes drew first blood against the Hamilton Bulldogs in a 4-3 win on Oct. 28. Photo by David Tuan Bui.

Peterborough clinched the last playoff spot in the Eastern Conference ending the season with 64 points. They got to the postseason after defeating the Niagara IceDogs 5-1 on their Pink in the Rink fundraiser night on April 9.

On the same night, The Bulldogs locked their top seed in the East as regular-season champions after a 6-0 shutout over the Ottawa 67’s.

The Petes will see a familiar face in Mason McTavish who the team traded to Hamilton ahead of the Ontario Hockey League deadline on Jan. 9 in exchange for forwards Alex Pharand, Jonathan Melee and six draft selections (Two second-round picks in 2022, two third-round picks in 2023, a third-round pick in 2024 and a conditional fourth-round pick in 2025).

Mason McTavish (middle) played five games with the Petes in the 2021-22 season before being traded to the Bulldogs. He spent time with the Anaheim Ducks of the NHL prior to playing for Peterborough. Photo courtesy of David Pickering and the Peterborough Petes.

The Petes defeated the Bulldogs 3-1 on March 15 on McTavish’s first game back in Peterborough after being traded. Hamilton got revenge with two straight wins over the Petes to round out their regular-season series.

The Petes are 2-6 against the Bulldogs in the regular season.

The following is the playoff schedule for the two teams:

• Thu, Apr. 21 Peterborough Petes vs. Hamilton Bulldogs 7:00 p.m. at the FirstOntario Centre

• Mon, Apr. 25 Peterborough Petes vs. Hamilton Bulldogs 7:00 p.m. at the FirstOntario Centre

• Wed, Apr. 27 Hamilton Bulldogs vs. Peterborough Petes 7:00 p.m. at the Peterborough Memorial Centre

• Thu, Apr. 28 Hamilton Bulldogs vs. Peterborough Petes 7:00 p.m. at the Peterborough Memorial Centre

• Sat, Apr. 30 Peterborough Petes vs Hamilton Bulldogs 7:00 p.m. at the FirstOntario Centre (if necessary)

• Mon, May 2 Hamilton Bulldogs vs. Peterborough Petes 7:00 p.m. at the Peterborough Memorial Centre (if necessary)

• Wed, May 4 Peterborough Petes vs Hamilton Bulldogs 7:00 p.m. at the FirstOntario Centre (if necessary)

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Omemee Man In Search Of A Living Kidney Donor During Be A Donor Month

Craig Kennedy, a husband, father to three children, a school teacher and a proud farmer from Omemee has taken to Facebook to raise awareness about living kidney donation, and find a kidney for himself, during ‘Be a Donor’ month.

Kennedy was diagnosed with Polycystic Kidney Disease in 2010. At the time of his diagnosis his kidneys were still functioning well and there was no imminent threat, though he knew in the future he may face declining function and eventually require a transplant.

Kennedy says he began taking care of his health, keeping active and partaking in proactive treatment to prolong the onset of serious illness as much as possible.

Though in 2016 things took a turn for the worse.

Spring of that year his left kidney suffered irreparable damage in an accident, which accelerated his decline.

Currently his kidneys are functioning at 15 per cent, anything lower is considered kidney failure. He is now classified as having end stage kidney disease.

“You wouldn’t know it to see me, I look normal,” said Kennedy. “But I can feel it.”

With April being ‘Be a Donor’ month, Kennedy thought it would be the perfect time to begin promoting living donation, not just for himself but for everyone waiting on the donor list.

“I’m a teacher, so I’m off for March break. It was then that I realized a lot of my staff at school didn’t even know that I was sick,” said Kennedy. “I said to my wife ‘we’ve got to get this out there’ just so people knew. I’m not a very public person so it was quite hard for me to do.”

Through Facebook he has been able to reach a larger audience than he imagined, and even learned that one of his neighbours is also waiting for a kidney donation.

“Once my story went to Facebook I found out my neighbour that lives a few kilometers up the road from me is on Dialysis. He’s kept it quiet. It’s bizarre, all of a sudden you realize there’s a lot of people out there waiting for a donation. You just have to be brave enough that when someone asks how you are, you say ‘actually not good’.”

Kennedy hopes that by spreading information, he will encourage more people to not only consider becoming a donor, but to consider becoming a living donor.

“If I can find someone, great, but it’s more to promote living organ donations. When we made the first post we had so many people reach out and say they’d like to do it but they don’t know anything about it.”

According to www.beadonor.ca there are over 1600 Ontarians waiting for a life-saving transplant. 90 per cent of Ontarians support organ donation, but only 35 per cent are registered.

When someone becomes a living donor, they can either designate their organ to a certain person - and their compatibility will be tested, or they can donate anonymously to anyone that they fit with.

Kennedy notes that even if someone wanted to donate a kidney to him and they weren’t compatible, they could give it to someone else which in turn would shorten the waiting list for everyone needing a kidney.

To follow Craig’s story visit his Facebook page facebook.com/kidneydonor4craig to contact him, email livingkidneydonor4craig@gmail.com.

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The Glorious Sons Rocked the Peterborough Memorial Centre in Their "Unfinished Business Tour"

The Kingston band, The Glorious Sons, rocked the Peterborough Memorial Centre (PMC) with opener JJ Wilde on Saturday night.

Calling it the Unfinished Business Tour, The two-time JUNO award-winning band got to perform in Peterborough, two years in the making.

Originally named “A War On Everything Tour,” the Glorious Sons had planned to perform in Peterborough on March 27, 2020 with Black Pistol Fire. It was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

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