by Patricia Dawson Bring the family out to a free community movie night on Friday, June 19th, at the Sunderland town hall for a fun evening with the new Super Mario Galaxy movie. It’s a great chance to relax and enjoy the movies. The location is Sunderland Town Hall, 120 River Street. Doors open at 6:30 p.m., and the movie begins at 7 p.m. Chairs will be set up, so please arrive early to secure a great seat. Admission is completely free, and everyone is welcome to bring their

By Patricia Dawson Families in Lindsay have several free, ongoing activities to enjoy during the week of June 11th. There will be a story walk at Ken Reid Conservation Area, located at Ken Reid Conservation Area on the pond Loop near the main parking lot. Enjoy a healthy, active outdoor experience. Families can walk the trail while reading pages of a featured children's book, Over in the Forest by Marianne Berkes. Lindsay's Farmers Market will be Saturday, June 13th, from 7 a

KIM COULTER RMH Foundation KAWARTHA LAKES: To everyone who bought a Smile Cookie, at a Tim Hortons restaurant, in Lindsay, between April 27th and May 3rd, thank you! The Ross Memorial Hospital (RMH) Foundation and Kawartha Lakes Food Source (KLFS) think you’re one smart cookie! Through your purchase, you helped to fund advancements in patient care and food security in Kawartha Lakes. Both organizations are profoundly grateful to the owners of the six Tim Hortons restaurants i

DARRYL KNIGHT Local Journalism Initiative Reporter for The Standard KAWARTHA LAKES: Access to family doctors in the community is expected to improve, after the City of Kawartha Lakes council approved $300,000 in funding, to help recruit three new physicians to the area, during its May 19th meeting. The funding will go to the Kawartha Lakes Health Care Initiative (KLHCI) to support return-of-service agreements, signed by three family doctors who have committed to practising lo

KAWARTHA LAKES/NORTH DURHAM: Communities across Canada came together on Wednesday, May 6th, as McDonald's Canada celebrated its 32nd annual McHappy Day, raising funds to support families with sick and injured children through Ronald McDonald House Charities. Throughout the day, a portion of proceeds from every food and beverage purchase at participating McDonald’s locations was donated to Ronald McDonald House helping children and families in need. Customers could support the

DARRYL KNIGHT Local Journalism Initiative Reporter for The Standard KAWARTHA LAKES: Growing demand for skilled trades workers was front and centre at a City of Kawartha Lakes Committee of the Whole meeting, on Tuesday, May 5th, as councillors received a memorandum, calling for stronger municipal support of trade programming at Fleming College’s Frost Campus. The memorandum, brought forward by Ward 5 Councillor Mark Doble, asked the municipality to advocate for the advancement

BRANDON CLARK The Standard KAWARTHA LAKES: Residents of the City of Kawartha Lakes will have an opportunity to learn more about local wellness programs, community supports, and senior services during the upcoming Victoria Manor Wellness Fair on Wednesday, May 20th. The free event will run from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Victoria Manor and is open to seniors, caregivers, families, and community members interested in healthy aging and wellness resources. Organizers say the fair is de

By Patricia Dawson Friends of the Lindsay Library are holding a Book Sale on Tuesday, May 19th, in the Carnegie room, which is downstairs in the Lindsay Library, at 190 Kent Street West. Payment for the books is by donation. They have a two-bag limit, grocery size bag, and all the money raised goes to fund Library programs. The book sale is from 10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more information, you can contact them via email at friends@gmail.com. The Kawartha Lakes Arts Council is p

DARRYL KNIGHT Local Journalism Initiative Reporter for The Standard KAWARTHA LAKES: Rising demand for affordable living options is prompting a closer look at how more people are sharing space under one roof, across City of Kawartha Lakes. With population growth and housing pressures continuing to mount, municipal officials have launched a public consultation on high-occupancy housing, an umbrella term which includes accessory dwelling units, room rentals, and other shared liv

KIM COULTER RMH Foundation KAWARTHA LAKES: Standing atop the CN Tower, on July 31st, 2021, Sandra Jack celebrated surviving cancer for five years, post-surgery. More than that, she was paying forward the care she was receiving and fundraising, to help more people survive cancer. Helping others was her lifelong mission. Sandra touched lives through her career in education, her public service on municipal council, her advocacy on community committees, and her many passions. The

By Patricia Dawson Celebrate your mom on May 9th for the 'Just for Mom Extravaganza', at the Victoria Park Armory in Lindsay, 1010 Kent Street West, in Lindsay. Admission is $2 and doors open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Many vendors and a lunch canteen are available. Join us for a day of unique shopping in one place! One day only Saturday, May 9th, if you're looking for something fun to do with mom or even moms-to-be, this is the place to be. The Beaverton Curling Club is hosti

DARRYL KNIGHT Local Journalism Initiative for The Standard KAWARTHA LAKES: Girls hockey continues its rapid rise in Kawartha Lakes, with hundreds of young athletes taking to the ice, in recent weeks, including a busy tryout weekend, of April 25th and 26th, and sessions continuing into May, for the Lindsay Lynx girls hockey program at the Lindsay Recreation Complex. In recent weeks, girls aged 9 to 17 have been showcasing their skills, in hopes of earning a spot on one of the

By Patricia Dawson There will be a Cottage Country Spring Craft Show on Sunday, April 12th, at the Lindsay Exhibition, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., featuring numerous vendors. Vendors will offer homemade goods, crafts, tasty treats, custom jewelry, woodcrafts, and other items. This event will be held at the Commonwell building at the Lindsey Fairgrounds and will feature unique, locally sourced items. Families can enjoy the Sunderland Maple Syrup Festival from April 11th to 12th, in

Jamie Steel, Senior Lead of Community Relations, AMP KAWARTHA LAKES: Surrounded by leaders in science, technology, engineering, art and math, as well as their peers, community supporters and educators, participants of the first-ever inSTEAM event on March 25th spent the day connecting, learning, sharing and exploring what life in STEAM could look and feel like. The event, a partnership between the Women Changemakers Fund of Kawartha Lakes, Ampere Canada, and community partn

KAWARTHA LAKES: In an effort to mitigate fire hazards, Kawartha Lakes Fire Rescue Service has issued its annual April burn ban. The burn ban will be in effect as of 12 a.m. on Wednesday, April 1st. During this period, all Regular Annual Burn Permits will be temporarily suspended, in adherence to both April's annual burn ban and any municipal-wide burn bans in effect. Exceptions to the burn ban may include Agricultural or Special Burn Permits, though strict adherence to safet

DARRYL KNIGHT Local Journalism Initiative Reporter for The Standard KAWARTHA LAKES: A popular public art initiative is returning for 2026, offering local artists a chance to transform everyday infrastructure into vibrant community showcases, while also sparking conversation among residents. The 'That’s a Wrap' Traffic Control Box Art Program is once again seeking submissions from visual artists and graphic designers, across Kawartha Lakes. Selected works will be reproduced

DARRYL KNIGHT Local Journalism Initiative Reporter for The Standard KAWARTHA LAKES: A proposed overhaul of purchasing rules, in the City of Kawartha Lakes, is aiming to strike a balance between supporting Canadian businesses and complying with complex trade laws. At a Committee of the Whole meeting, on Tuesday, March 10th, Launa Macey, Supervisor of Financial Services, Procurement, presented a Procurement Policy Update report, co-authored with, City Solicitor, Robyn Carlson.

DARRYL KNIGHT Local Journalism Initiative Reporter for The Standard KAWARTHA LAKES: The Kawartha Art Gallery is set to shine a spotlight on the next generation of local talent, with its upcoming Young Musicians Showcase, bringing together students from across the community, for an evening of music and inspiration. The concert, part of the Gallery’s 2025/26 Music Series, will take place on Wednesday, April 15th, at 7 p.m., at Celebrations, in Lindsay, located at 35 Lindsay Str

By Patricia Dawson Bring the family out for a free event with crafts, an egg hunt, games, and Easter bunny photos. This event will take place at the Lindsay Recreation Complex, located at 133 Adelaide Street South, in Lindsay, on Saturday, March 28th, at 9 a.m. This is a free, fun-filled family event featuring numerous activities for children. They ask participants to bring a non-perishable food donation to support the Lakes Food Source. St. Andrews Presbyterian Church holds

DARRYL KNIGHT Local Journalism Initiative Reporter for The Standard KAWARTHA LAKES: Paramedics in Kawartha Lakes are keeping pace with rising call volumes, while maintaining strong response times, according to the 2025 Operational Key Performance Indicators (O-KPIs) report, presented to Council, on Tuesday, March 10th. Last year, paramedics responded to more than 14,000 patient calls, or, roughly one call every 37 minutes. Despite the increase in demand, the service met or