Historical society spends time with ‘Weird Willie’

Meeting will include a talk by Christopher Dummitt, author of a book on Mackenzie King

The Peterborough Historical Society presents their Annual General Meeting, followed by a dinner and guest speaker, March 20 at the Princess Gardens Atrium, 100 Charlotte St. Trent University Professor Christopher Dummitt, will give a talk titled The Prime Minister Unbuttoned: How We Discovered Mackenzie King’s Secret Life, based on his recently published book. The talk will share some of the discoveries made about William Lyon Mackenzie King, Canada’s longest-serving Prime Minister, made possible by a radical change in the public’s approach to politicians’ private lives. Mackenzie King, nicknamed Weird Willie, is the subject of great controversy: deeply admired, passionately despised, or ridiculed for his practice of spiritualism through mediums to communicate with his dead mother, sometimes through his dog. The Annual General Meeting for members takes place at 5:30 p.m. Dinner and speaker follow, with cash bar at 6:30 p.m. and dinner served at 7p.m. Tickets are $45 for member and $50 for non-members and can be purchased in advance at Hutchison House, 270 Brock St. or by calling 705-740-2600 or 705-743- 9710. For more information, please visit www.peterboroughhistoricalsociety.ca. All are welcome.

15th Anniversary of YES

The YES Shelter for Youth and Families invite the public to join them in recognizing the 15th anniversary of YES, Wednesday from 7 to 9 p.m. at McDonnel Street Activity Centre, 577 McDonnel St. This is an opportunity to celebrate the donors, staff, volunteers and supporters of YES who have served the community for 15 years; learn how YES is responding to youth and family homelessness; and look where YES is headed in the years to come. Light snacks and refreshments will be served. Please RSVP to events@yesshelter.ca. For more information please call Kait Richards 705-745-3851 ext. 204.

International Women’s Day

The Kawartha World Issues Centre and the Kawartha Sexual Assault Centre present the annual International Women’s Day Community Potluck and Panel Presentation, Thursday from 5 to 9 p.m. at Seeds of Change, 534 George St. Dinner takes place at 5:30 p.m. and the panel presentation program begins at 6:30 p.m. This free event celebrates inclusion, equality and joining together for social change. This year’s panel discussion will focus on The Art of Resistance and will explore creative responses to inspire social movement. This is an inclusive familyfriendly event. Donations and potluck items are welcome. For more information, please visit www.kwic.info.

Dear Wife & Children

Despite their obvious importance, the letters exchanged by Canadian soldiers with their families during World War One remain surprisingly understudied. On Thursday, from 5 to 7 p.m., Trent University welcomes to public to a free lecture by Dr. Kristine Alexander, who will reassess the value of wartime letters as tools to cope with the traumas of war, and as sources of information about gender, family, childhood and emotions. Alexander is a Canada Research Chair in Child and Youth Studies, Assistant Professor of History, and director of the Institute for Child and Youth Studies at the University of Lethbridge in Alberta. The lecture takes place at Traill College, 310 London St. For more information please visit www.trentu.ca/events.