SARAH WILLIAMS
STAFF WRITER
March 25th marks the inaugural Thrive Community Symposium hosted by Thrive PEC. The event boasts a range of speakers from across Ontario detailing their varied roles in helping to build community.
The day will be divided into eight segments. The first segment will be hosted by actor and comedian Lanrick Bennett. Bennett will introduce participants to the “Yes, And…!” mindset that guides his work, building upon the skills and scenes of colleagues. Through his talk, Bennet will walk participants through possible ways in which this tool can be used to guide community building. He will also share how his Second City training has shaped his community work, from building active transportation to better urban design and more.
A Path Forward will guide participants to ask, “Whose stories do we tell through local history? How can a community bring voice to forgotten tales, misunderstood narratives and history being made today? In this segment, City of Kingston Director of Heritage Services, Jennifer Campbell and First Peoples Group’s Melissa Hammell share Kingston’s path in transforming a city of museums to a Museum City, animating local history while celebrating and reconciling its past.
Barbara Schwartzentruber will talk about the importance of collaboration between food entrepreneurs, farmers, researchers and social innovators. In this talk, The Future of Food, Schwartzentruber will discuss how she, along with the City of Guelph, are working to create Canada’s first circular food economy and participants will hear how this revolutionary project is enhancing access to nutritious food, reducing carbon outputs, turning waste into valuable resources and creating new economic opportunities.
The Tamarack Institute’s Heather Keam will discuss how to weave community assets into activities that lead to building community. Through a series of community conversations, Thrive PEC has already been collecting and mapping community assets.
A panel featuring Mike Amos, Managing Director of KNDL, Kathy Kennedy, Executive Director of Prince Edward Learning Centre, Kevin Taylor, Associate Director at Social Venture Connexion, and Mary Warner, Co-Executive Director of Tapestry Capital will explore to celebrate and build community through local investment.
Got a question about Indigenous culture you’ve always wanted to ask? While there’s no one-size-fits-all path or practice, First People’s Group’s Melissa Hammell can help demystify some common questions, alleviate worries of saying or doing the ‘wrong’ thing and encourage a spirit of curiosity, learning and sharing.
Visit The County’s Eleanor R. Cook promises to take participants on a journey to becoming their own County Ambassador.
Lastly, Pete Bombaci of Genwell Project discusses the impact the pandemic years has had on community, including friends, family, neighbours, colleagues and classmates. In this talk, Bombaci will offer some ways to rekindle the community spirit.
This event is brough to you by: The County Foundation, Community Futures, Greater Than County Youth Collective, The County of Prince Edward, and Loyalist College.
For more information, or to buy tickets, please visit: www.ThrivePEC.ca/Symposium