Local Restaurant Owner Determined to Give Over 1,300 Free Meals On Easter Sunday

The Original Spaghetti House Pizzeria owner Ilir Sino gave out 1,300 meals on Christmas Day last year and he’s aiming to beat that number for Easter Sunday.

His restaurant is giving away pasta and dessert to anyone who needs it on Easter Sunday.

Sino gave out 1,300 meals last Christmas and intends on keeping up this tradition every Easter Sunday adn Christmas Day. PHOTO COURTESY OF ILIR SINO.

Sino made the announcement on his Facebook last Thursday and is inviting Peterborough and the surrounding area to come grab a meal.

“Sino's family tradition is every Easter Sunday and Christmas Day, we will welcome everyone in need for free a meal and dessert from my family, as long as I'm alive,” said Sino in his Facebook post. “When I'm gone, my children will continue this tradition for our city.”

A full staff will be on hand to help Sino cook and distribute the meals.

Sino has had a history of philanthropy as he donated $1,500 to Alternatives Community Program Services Peterborough last November. He has also donated to local sports teams and other charities.

The Original Spaghetti House Pizzeria is located at 512 George St. S. off the corner of Lansdowne Street.

He opened his own production facility, Sino’s Fine Foods, located at 597 Monaghan Rd. last summer. The business produces his sauces, dressings, soups, oven-ready dinners and more.

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Applications Open For Steve Montador H.O.P.E Bursary For High School Students With Sports-Related Injuries

Applications for the Greater Peterborough Health Services Foundation (GPHSF) H.O.P.E. Bursary in honour of Steve Montador are open with the deadline on May 1 until midnight.

(from left to right) Mike Martone (H.O.P.E.), David Graham , Eliza Graham and Chad Cavanagh (H.O.P.E.). Eliza was last year’s recipient of the bursary. Photo courtesy of Vince Bierworth and GPHSF.

The bursary is for high school students that have a reduced academic workload due to the suffering effects of sports-related injuries and are transitioning into college or university.

All applicants will be reviewed by a committee consisting of H.O.P.E., Team 55, GPHSF, Your Family Health Team Foundation,and the Canadian Mental Health Association. All applicants will be notified of their status by May 16.

To be considered for the Bursary, you need to be:

• A student at a Peterborough City/County-based high school and registered in a first-year program at college/university

• Suffering from post-concussion syndrome sustained from a sports-related injury

• Be in satisfactory academic standing

• Have financial need

Students can apply for the bursary by downloading the registration form online.

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Renewal Sees Fleming Students Launch Peterborough Museum and Archive Exhibition As Guest Curators

Fleming College’s Museum Management and Curatorship (MMC) students have renewed the Peterborough Museum and Archives’ (PMA) long-term exhibitions to be guest curators for a Victorian Era exhibition announced on Thursday.

Photo courtesy of Fleming College.

MMC students after learning from two semesters will reimagine the PMA’s Victorian Era exhibition. The renewal includes key visual changes, decolonizing the exhibit narrative, contents and language and creating a more inclusive and diverse exhibition.

‘Welcome to Boomtown’ exhibition focuses 1860 through 1900 in Peterborough. It captures what life was like as the region and its surrounding Indigenous communities experienced growth, hardship and change according to a press release. Visitors will appreciate previously untold stories, view artifacts and archival materials from the PMA’s extensive collections and have new opportunities to interact with the exhibition, the region’s heritage and each other.

The exhibition opening takes place on Thursday from 2 – 4 p.m. at the Peterborough Museum and Archives, located at 300 Hunter St. E. in Peterborough. Admission is by donation.

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New City Public Art Program to Mentor 10 Local Artists For Large-Scale Project

The City of Peterborough Public Art Program is inviting 10 local artists to be in a paid mentorship, working on road murals throughout downtown Peterborough.

File Photo.

The Road Mural Mentorship Program has seen the past two decades work on the Renaissance on Hunter public art project which is entering its third year. It transforms the café district on Hunter Street into a series of road murals and artist gardens.

The purpose of both public art projects is to transform Hunter Street into a welcoming and engaging pedestrian space during the warm weather season.

“The goal of the Road Mural Mentorship Program is to create opportunities for artists interested in expanding their practices into the public art realm,” says Wendy Trusler, City of Peterborough public art facilitator. “I’m excited to see the mentorship program build capacity within the local arts community for future projects like the Renaissance on Hunter.”

The program is seeking applications from emerging and mid-career professional artists who are in Peterborough, the County, Hiawatha First Nation, and Curve Lake First Nation with the deadline on May 1, at 4 p.m. All applications must be submitted online.

The Renaissance on Hunter public art projects are administered and funded through the City of Peterborough Public Art Program and in partnership with the Downtown Business Improvement Area and GreenUP. 

For more information and to apply, visit peterborough.ca/publicart.

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Peterborough Zoo Constructing Sloped Wheelchair-Accessible Walkway Beginning Monday

The Riverview Park and Zoo are beginning construction on a sloped wheelchair-accessible walkway connecting the north parking lot to the playground with work scheduled to begin on Monday.

File Photo.

The zoo estimates its completion on May 12 according to a press release.

Access to existing accessible parking spaces is maintained at all times but alternate spaces and detours will be provided during this time. Access to the Electric Charging Stations are not affected but the public will be notified if this changes.

Funding for the project has been supported by Enabling Accessibility Fund, Employment and Social Development Canada.

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Hometown PTBO: Rachel Dalliday In Her Upcoming Performance "Something Rotten!" With the Peterborough Theatre Guild

This week on Hometown PTBO, Pete Dalliday talks with Rachel Dalliday of the Peterborough Theatre Guild about how she broke into the arts, her upcoming performance in "Something Rotten!" and how it will be her last show in Peterborough.

Shows are April 28-30, May 4-7 and 11-13.

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Premiere Dance Studio Excels At Move Dance Competition

The Premiere Studio of Dance excelled at the Move Dance competition in Gatineau, Quebec, this past weekend, bringing home a number of trophies and titles in multiple divisions.

Max, Ashlynn, Hazel, Ava, Aislin and Ella (Finals Champions). photo by Sara Connelly.

“We faced a new challenge attending the highest calibre of competition we have in our 23 years of business,” said Premiere’s Jesse Anglesey. “We knew it would be inspiring for our competitive team to witness the level of talent at a competition like this, as the participating studios were among the best in the area.”

Finals Champions:

1st Place Sr Solo - Max Battersby, Bird Gurhl (choreography by Meggie Pound)

1st Place Mini/Jr Solo - Ashlynn Evoy, How to Disappear Completely (choreography by Sara Connelly)

2nd Place Sr Duet/Trio - Max Battersby and Ava Mason, Something to Someone (choreography by Meaghan Sheppard)

3rd Place Intermediate Duet/Trio - Ella Hancock and Aislin Watt, Unholy (choreography by Bizzy Boom)

3rd Place Mini/Jr Duet/Trio - Ashlynn Evoy and Hazel Fuderer, Eye of the Tiger (choreography by Meggie Pound)

Other runner up finals participants included Kaleigh Twiss who competed with her solo Automatic (choreography by Jen Carter), the Jr Competitive Level team who competed with their dance We Are Family (choreography by Meggie Pound), the Int Competitive Level team who competed with their dance A Dream of Water (choreography by Meaghan Sheppard), the Int/Sr Pre-Competitive Level team who competed with their dance Helium (choreography by Miia Korhonen) and the Sr Competitive Level team who competed with their dance HERO (choreography by Robyn Carter).

Premiere was also awarded four student scholarships to Corbin Archibald, Max Battersby, Enrico Emmenegger, and Avery Packman, as well as a teacher scholarship to Sara Connelly.

photo by Sara Connelly.

In addition to last week’s competition, Premiere stated that they are extremely proud of their team’s results from the first competition of the season back in mid-March for being awarded:

1st Place age 12 and over Solo/Duet/Trio - Max Battersby, On Then and Now (choreography by Sara Connelly)

1st place age 11 and under Solo/Duet/Trio - Ashlynn Evoy, Hazel Fuderer, & Sophie McCarthy, New York, New York (choreography by Meggie Pound)

1st Place age 12 and over Group - HERO (choreography by Robyn Carter)

1st Place age 11 and under Group - We Are Family (choreography by Meggie Pound)

As well as several student scholarships.

“Not only was it amazing to be apart of an event like this and see the other talent there, but to come out with the end results that we did makes us beyond proud of our team and inspired to keep pushing further and reaching higher,” concluded Anglesy.

Any questions about Premiere’s recreational or competitive programs can be directed at info@premieredance.ca. Summer programs are now open for registration, and 2023/24 season information is coming soon.

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Pizza Hut Raises $2,000 for Epilepsy Peterborough On Purple Day

The colour purple meant a $2,000 cheque to Epilepsy Peterborough as Pizza Hut made the donation from Purple Day fundraising efforts on March 26.

Thom Appleby, Executive Director of Epilepsy Peterborough (left) with MARC HARTENBERG, PIZZA HUT CO-OWNER (RIGHT) at the George Street Pizza Hut location. Photo courtesy of Pizza Hut Peterborough.

March was Epilepsy Awareness Month when Pizza Hut ran a one-day fundraising campaign as staff were wearing purple to raise awareness for the condition. Ten per cent of sales from four Pizza Hut locations went towards Epilepsy Peterborough. Customers also donated money atop buying pizza to support the fundraiser according to Marc Hartenberg, Pizza Hut co-owner.

“We want to thank everyone for your support,” he said. “The funds raised will be staying local to support Epilepsy Peterborough.”

The following were the participating locations:

• 901 Lansdowne St. W., Peterborough

• 705 George St. N., Peterborough

• 132 Queen St., Lakefield

• 1 Commerce Rd., Lindsay

Hartenberg has been diagnosed with epilepsy after being in a bike accident when he was young. 2006 was the last time he suffered a grand mal seizure which causes a loss of consciousness and violent muscle contraction. Hartenberg only suffers from absence seizures that cause him the space out a few moments.

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Photos: Retirement Residence Princess Gardens Celebrates Its 25th Anniversary In Style

Princess Gardens celebrated its 25th anniversary with a party, champagne and dessert while residents and guests danced away on Wednesday afternoon.

Staff were recognized for their efforts in helping the retirement resident reach the milestone.

David Reed, 94 (left) and Marilyn Hartley, 83 (right) are first to hit the dance floor when the jazz band got jamming. All photos by David Tuan Bui.

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Going Out On a Limb For the 25th Annual Tree Climbing Competition at Fleming College

Students in Fleming College’s Arboriculture program are branching out and taking their learning to new heights as the annual Tree Climbing Competition gets underway at Fleming’s Frost Campus.  

photo courtesy of fleming college.

Twenty-five first semester students will be competing on April 11, challenging themselves and each other in five separate categories. Students will have the chance to put their skills to the test, win prizes, and cheer each other on.   

The top male and female students will go on to compete in the Ontario Tree Climbing Championship.  

The day is also a networking opportunity for both students and industry professionals-representatives from sponsor companies and vendors like Universal Field Supplies, Maple Leaf Ropes, Vermeer Canada, Petzl, Stihl Canada, Husqvarna and the International Society of Arboriculture will be on site during the competition.  

The competition takes place from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Outdoor Education Cabin at the Frost Campus Arboretum. A rain date is scheduled for April 12.   

Tree Climbing categories:  

Aerial Rescue: A climber must ascend a tree and rescue a geared up, 200 lb. ‘dummy.’ The student rescuer must adhere to a set of protocols based on a specified emergency. This is a time-based event, with points awarded or deducted according to the protocol and emergency.  

Speed Climb: Each contestant is timed climbing up a tree from the ground to a height of approximately 15 metres where they will ring a finishing bell.  

Throwball: This event is timed and tests the contestant’s ability to accurately place a throw line and a climbing line into the tree at heights between 12 and 20 metres.  

Ascent Event: The contestant must vertically ascend 13 metres in a tree by using the footlock technique. This is a timed event.  

Work Climb: This event tests the contestant’s ability to move quickly and efficiently in the tree and perform various tasks. At each station the contestant rings a bell. Bonus and penalty points are awarded based on safety, performance, and competence. 

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