The Advocate Podcast – Stories from Kawartha Lakes

Episode #57 Laughing Outside. Barn cat adoption. What to do if you get “it.” Comedy from Currie.

Yes, those numbers are dropping. But it’s still really out there. And so so many people – more than ever - have been getting it. Despite it not being quite as severe (Thanks, vaccines!) what should you do if you get it? Who do you call? When’s it okay to come out of quarantine after getting it? (And, by now, you know what we mean by “it,” right?). Medical officer of health Doctor Natalie Bocking explains all.

They may not be cuddly. But they still need homes. Or, rather, they need barns and workshops. A local group rescues barn – or working – cats and finds owners who’ll care for them – while the cats get to work on keeping that rodent population down!

The Grove’s outdoor theatre stage – like any outdoor stage – shouldn’t be right for professional standup comedy. But gosh-golly, theirs is! Grove GM Nicole Mitchell tells our host why – leading up to a Canada Day standup show under the stars. And comedy from that night’s headliner and former Rick Mercer Report writer, Rick Currie.

Episode #56 Lindsay’s 80s. Candidates make their case. Human trafficking exists here.

The 1980s. Flared hair. Howick Jeans. Top Gun. Mix tapes. A super special time, right? And even MORE special if you attended high school in Lindsay, right? RIGHT? Members of a very exclusive Facebook page would say so. We hear from one of them, as well as the guy who launched the little group page that became NOT so little very quickly.

The Advocate Magazine hosted a debate for candidates looking to represent our riding in the upcoming provincial election. We were there and bring you their opening remarks. (Well, ONE candidate turned down the invitation. Can you guess who?).

Human trafficking is not just a big city problem; it’s an everywhere problem – including in Kawartha Lakes. Penny Chatson, of Women’s Resources, and Mike Perry, education consultant with the sex trafficking prevention campaign, discuss a very real – and local – problem. And how victims here can get help.

 

 

 

Episode #55 Bowling bowls – not balls. So-Many-Jobs. KLPL now lending more than just books. . One-New-Word. House deposit deception. Clan Hannigan song.

First things first: call ‘em lawn bowling BOWLS, not balls. Rhys Warren, of the Lindsay Lawn Bowling Club explains why – and does his darndest to recruit our host as a member. Will he succeed?

That deposit you made on that house purchase isn’t the Get-outta-the-deal card you might think it is. Lawyer Calvin Chan, of Wards Lawyers, dispels a common myth.

Lyndsay Heffernan of the KLPL tells us about another super cool borrowing program (hint: not books) AND brings us a new Well-Defined word. Need a job? Brenda Roxburgh of employment agency VCCS explains why employers are having a hard time filling positions and what this means for them – as well as those seeking employment. And some closing theme music, courtesy of Clan Hannigan, which plays Lindsay May 29.

Episode # 54 Stay, dog! STAY! Tumbled walls. Big(ger) League Dreams come true. Hitched to live music.

So, you’re happy you got that dog two years ago, knowing you’d have much ‘o time to bond together at home. But what happens now that you’re back at that pre-2020 workplace? Dog expert/trainer/breeder/groomer Julie Corlette tells us what both you and pet should expect during this back-to-daily separation.

Knockin’ ‘em down was the easy part. Convincing critics that removing those tall walls outside Lindsay’s former jail was the right choice, well that took a bit more work. And now that they’re down, what next?  Barb Doyle of the Kawartha Lakes Museum and Archives shares the plan – and the vision.

Coulter Babcock is heading to baseball’s big leagues. That’s the hope, anyway. And it’s looking pretty realistic, given the young man was recently awarded a baseball scholarship in the U.S. Rick  Knoester says there’s a dearth of places play live music in Kawartha Lakes right now. So, the drummer and his Hitcher band mates booked their own venue, ensuring “Lindsay Rocks” Saturday, May 7.

 

Episode #53 Rebecca’s return. (Almost) 100 men. Big house warming gift. Hang on to that spoon.

Spoons is a game made famous – locally, anyway – at IE Weldon Secondary School. It was put on hold for a few years because, well, you know. But it’s back and a couple of students dish on its role with bringing back some normalcy to school halls.

She’s been a touring professional standup comedian for the better part of a decade. But Rebecca Reeds has never performed in her hometown of Lindsay. That changes with an upcoming show at the Pie Eyed Monk. Buying that first house – even a modest one – can be so out of reach. Which is why more parents are helping out – with huge financial gifts. But lawyer Ryan O’Neill explains it should involve more than just writing a cheque to that son or daughter.

So so close! The Hundred Men of Kawartha Lakes has been a bit of misnomer – with just slightly less than 100 members. But that’s about to change, a confident Richard Gauder, of the local do-good group, explains.

 

Episode #52 Value added Saturdays. A Kinmount fair book. LLT returns - again. Chamber change.

Just like a real retail outlet, Vicky’s Values has evolved its pricing scheme – but in a different, more accessible way to meet its clients' needs. Oh, and  the store, which supports Womens Resources, is back to being open on Saturdays! Cuz that’s what real retail does! Guy Scott gathered hundreds of photos and newspaper articles of days gone by for a new book about his beloved Kinmount Fair. Lindsay Little Theatre’s return means different things for different people. A veteran LLT director, as well as an actor making her return – after a couple of decades – share their thoughts. The Lindsay and District Chamber of Commerce has a new executive director. By her own admission, she can talk up a storm – and that’s a good thing for this gig. Meet Allyssa Adams.

SPECIAL BONUS EPISODE!

The last time we featured a bonus episode was at the very beginning of the pandemic. Its focus was on, you guessed it, the pandemic.

Well this second ever bonus episode offers something much less dour – at a time when we’re (fingers crossed) cautiously edging toward the end of all.....this.  In fact, this bonus episode is downright uplifting. A conversation with one of our country’s most beloved comedians – who just so happens to have a unique connection to Kawartha Lakes.

Episode #51 Theatre takes a pass on vax pass. ECO-conscious eatery. Vax and kids and parents and the law. Beukeboom on why Martin is makin’ it.

Before it opted to keep or ditch the vax pass, the Flato Academy Theatre sought input from its patrons. And the winner is....envelope, please.

And speaking of vaccines...for children of separated parents, who gets to decide if they get the shot or not? Hmm...maybe it’s not a parent at all. Lawyer Ryan O’Neill explains. Restaurants are bracing for new, stricter rules when it comes to single use plastic. But for one Lindsay eatery, that change started long ago. Our host, a die-hard Habs fan, is buoyed by his team’s new, yet inexperienced, coach. Can that winning streak last? What’s the magic of this rookie coach? Former pro – and still a threat on the local old-timer’s rec league ice – John Beukeboom imparts some first-hand wisdom.

Episode #50 Farming for rookies. Disaster Trust Fund volunteer recruitment. Megan Park’s movie Fallout steps up to challenge. A well-defined new word.

The Victoria County Disaster Trust Fund is there, on site, to assist and support families in need while they watch their homes perish. But the agency’s now facing its own challenges. Andrew Rafton makes the case for joining an important group of volunteers who offer a unique service. So, ya think wanna farm? Best to get some guidance before you decide to dig in, eh. The City of Kawartha Lakes has a free webinar series that can help you plough through that process.  When she wrote and directed the HBO-Max/Crave film The Fallout, Megan Park admits its theme is far removed from the experience of her own school years in Lindsay. Which makes this smart, thoughtful – and riveting – movie, which examines the trauma following a horrific tragedy at a U.S. school, that much more impressive. The writer/director describes how – and why – she found inspiration to create a movie that is a New York Times Critic’s Pick.

 

Episode #49 Big screen’s return. Fishin,’ while (almost) freezin’? Family farm transfers done smoothly. Careful! Don’t turn left, yet! Close Kicks music.

What a roller coaster it’s been for every movie theatre in Ontario. Thank goodness the seats are comfy, at least! But despite the bumps, Lindsay Century Cinema’s Sheila Dominic and Bill Howell have ensured the ride was as smooth as possible in the beloved local theatre.

It’s more than just handing over the keys to the tractor. Lawyer Karissa Ward offers some wisdom in passing on the family farm to the next generation.

On one of the coldest days of the winter, four newbie ice fishers were not deterred. And actually ‘catching’ fish was only part of the truly Canadian experience, eh.

Ever been on Kent Street heading west from Angeline and tried  to turn left? Yikes. Maybe that experience serves as a metaphor – and some HILARIOUS radio theatre – for what we’re all dealing with right now. (But not forever). And some great music by Lindsay’s own Close Kicks.