Our Most Recent Stories
See the orange tab 'Full List' for older stories
Five Points Media is a community-focused social enterprise broadcast-quality on-line media service that offers a non-judgmental social voice to those who are all too often ignored by mainstream news services.
Sudden Cardiac Arrests happen in Canada on average every 13 minutes. The good news is that there is over a 75% survival rate when an AED (defibrillator) is used within the first 10 minutes. For this reason, public-access defibrillators that anyone can use are the difference to save a life.
SaveStation takes this concept a step further by standardizing the cabinet design and offering indoor/outdoor solutions that can be installed in highly accessible locations.
That was the message from SaveStation this morning that they relayed at Meridian Place in Barrie, where the Kiwanis Club Of Barrie was donating an outdoor defibrilator unit to the city's core.
It was an unexpected pleasure for our Five Points Media production crew of Producer, John Ironside, and Production Associate, Tiffany Scott, to record the events of the first every Blackdown Cadet Training Centre anti-bullying day event and Pride flag raising.
The speakers, both senior cadets, dug deep to tell their stories of abuse and isolation as forced upon them simply because of who and what they are. The entire Blackdown Cadets got into the movement, quite literally, as they walked or ran a three-kilometre course to raise money for a fundraiser being managed by Military Police on Canadian Forces Base Borden / Base des Forces canadiennes Borden.
It was a full house of who is who in Barrie - Innisfil on Monday, July 22nd, as our crew from Five Points Media joined in the festivities as Innisfil Pride held their first-ever flag raising in collaboration with Fierté Simcoe Pride. In attendance was John Brassard - MP for Barrie-Innisfil, Andrea Khanjin MPP for Barrie - Innisfil, Innisfil Mayor Lynn Dollin, and various members of council and several representatives of police and fire services.
This flag-raising was the first event of Innisfil Prides inaugural year, with the festivities continuing into this weekend with the Innisfil Pride Festival being held on Saturday and Sunday the 27th and 28th at Arcadia Park and Events Centre at 1263 3rd Line, Innisfil. Please visit the page for more details.
A couple of weeks ago we published an article about how Tyger Shark, a local website design company, had threatened to file unsupportable vexatious civil litigation against our benevolent not-profit-motivated social enterprise that donates all services to our community and all profits to local charities. The reason for their vacuous threat was because we did not move fast enough when they asked us to do them a favour by deleting from our YouTube channel a benign video that they had participated in producing as part of a Chamber of Commerce awards banquet five years ago. The original article can be found here.
Our friends at Theatre By The Bay currently offer two new and very different productions, and they both look amazing. On Friday, July 19th our crew from Five Points Media travelled to Five Points Theatre to record some of the technical rehearsal and blocking for The Cenotaph Project, a play about young people who learn on a very personal level what life was like for people their age during World War 2. It all spawns from a trip to the Barrie Cenotaph as part of a school assignment and develops into something so much more.
Last night, a few hundred residents of Barrie and area got a much needed break from the recent heat wave, as provided by the Barrie Fire And Emergency Service.
The event, that was just around the corner from our studio, at Shear Park, attracted a lot of moms, dads, grandparents, and mostly kids. They enjoyed not only the water spray provided by the boom of a fire truck, but also a plethora of educational and fun events like hose carrying, drop and roll, a water bucket challenge, and others. There were also information booths for both children and adults, and activities like face painting and spin the wheel.
Tyger Shark Has Threatened Legal Action Against Our Benevolent Community and Charity Service, 2019
And all because of a five-year-old community video they clearly worked on with us and now claim they know nothing about . . . hmmm.
Bullying is frowned upon by our culture, and with very good reason. We teach children not to pick on other kids, especially the weaker or smaller, and most people treat those who abuse others as cowards. We know now that those abusive children often lash out due to fear as perhaps that is all they know at home.
Regardless, you need look no further than the world’s reaction to Trump’s public mockery of a disabled reporter to see the level of disgust this kind of action can generate. The same is true for companies that use abusive legal actions to legally steal what they want.
It is likely because we give so much to the community and charities that we seemed like an easy target.
Our Five Points Media location crew of Producer John Ironside and Production Associate Tiffany Scott couldn’t put their feet up for the entirety of the long Canada Day weekend, as they joined forces to record some shots from the annual Promenade Days and then much of the Barrie Air Show.
While downtown we caught a few words from MPP Andrea Khanjin, a one-time child refugee from Russia, and also from City Councillor Natalie Harris who as a first responder experienced mental health issues that led to addiction. Both praised our country and how it is only in Canada that they could be now where they are.
The airshow, featuring both an F-18 acrobatics team and the Snowbirds, thrilled thousands who took in the perfect day on the shores of Kempenfelt Bay.
For the first time ever, on Thursday, June 27, 2019, Barrie citizens and groups took part in the National HIV Testing Day.
The event was held at City Hall and hosted by the Gilbert Centre. Deputy Mayor Barry Ward and Councillors Natalie Harris and Keenan Aylwin were in attendance for the event which featured a proclamation from Mayor Jeff Lehman, a flag raising, and multiple booths through which various groups distributed information. Most importantly, confidential testing for the virus was being undertaken on site by medical professionals.
It is safe to say that six of Barrie's City Councillors dropped the ball at the most recent meeting held at City Hall on Monday, June 24th, 2019, and we caught their shame on camera. One of our followers asked us to post the vote details and we are going one step further with this video that clarifies the absolute insanity of the cowardly decision made by those elected council members in whom we have put our trust.
There has been a lot of mainstream media coverage this week about the incident in Aurora when two young children were abruptly introduced to nature in their own backyard. There has also been a lot of sensationalist misinformation posted about this incident with headlines like ‘Caught on Video: Coyote Pounces on Child in Aurora’. This kind of hyperbole is intended to draw in viewers with the shock and awe approach that is now all too common in what sadly passes today for journalism.
We are constantly building on the wildlands that are home to many kinds of animals. In Barrie, we need to look no further than the much needed Harvie Road overpass that although vital to our growth is uprooting many kinds of wild animals. The forests and fields on both sides of that road are filled with life ranging from deer to coyotes and after we take away their feeding grounds where are they supposed to go to eat? Well, the answer is obvious.
Today our Five Points Media on-location team of Producer John Ironside and Production Associate Tiffany Scott travelled to Barrie City Hall to join in the celebration of Pride month as Barrie Pride once again raised the Pride flag and the Transgender Rights flag for all of Barrie to see.
Those present included Councillor Keenan Aylwin, Deputy Mayor Barry Ward, MPP Doug Downey, and representatives for MPP Andrea Khanjin and John Brassard - MP for Barrie-Innisfil.
Our regular followers will remember how on May 8th, 2019 we reported on a local group associated with the Huntington Society of Canada who had met at City Hall in Barrie to raise their flag in support of those afflicted with the disease, their families, and volunteers who are working to help them find a better life.You can find that video at http://www.fivepointsmedia.ca/huntingtons-disease-city-of-barrie-raises-flag-2019.htm
On May 22nd we met with them again, this time for the main event, their second annual Wild Flower Walk and Forest Tea for Huntington's Disease.
Kempenfest is always a great time in the city of Barrie, and 2019 seems determined to up the ante. On Tuesday, May 28th our crew was invited to attend at a press conference held at Paul Sadlon Motors to hear about what to expect in the 49th rendition of this amazing family event. The annual arts and crafts show will host more than 400 artists and vendors of food and products of many kinds.
Todd Tuckey, President of the Greater Barrie Chamber of Commerce and Louise Jackson, the newly appointed General Manager of Kempenfest provided all the details, while Paul Sadlon, President of Paul Sadlon Motors, made a special donation to the cause. Congratulations also to John Derlis of Impact Live, who is taking over the entertainment component of the event.
It was also announced that this year’s entertainment will be . . .
As many of our regular followers know, a few weeks ago we posted the story "Precious Paws - Help Nikki find her forever home" through which we are happy to say the beautiful blonde husky was successfully bonded with a loving partner. http://www.fivepointsmedia.ca/precious-paws-help-nikki-find-her-forever-home-2019.html
While shooting that video we learned that on June 15th, Precious Paws Rescue is hosting one of their biggest fundraisers, the 10th Annual Golf Fore Dogs Tournament. If you play golf you should register by June 9th so you can help this worthy cause while enjoying a great day on the links at Tangle Creek Golf and Country Club followed by a gourmet meal.
Our friends at Barrie Pride had one hell of a night last night, Saturday, May 25th, at their Barrie Pride Drag Me To Dinner Fundraiser held in collaboration with the Borden Pride Network at the Officers Mess on Base Borden. Our production team at Five Points Media, comprised of Producer John Ironside and Production Associate Tiffany Scott, were very happy to lend our services to record their big night.
This video is not the Five Points Media / City of Barrie Network production about the night. We were contacted today by David Bradbury, the President of Barrie Pride, and asked if we could quickly cut together a short synopsis of the night. We were happy to do what we could, and this is what we came up with.
A more comprehensive production including interviews and more detail is in the works and should be online later this week.
Frank Nelson was a man of great compassion and vision. He was also a very dear personal friend. During the last six years of his life, after being diagnosed with colon cancer, this selfless man engaged in a mission to help others and to improve the lives of thousands of people he did not know.
In addition to raising and donating tens of thousands of dollars for needy families and individuals, Frank also opened the Glowing Hearts Community Give & Get Centre - Barrie, through which those in need can receive clothing, household items, toys, shoes and other items, all for free.
On May 8th, 2019, a local group associated with the Huntington Society of Canada met at City Hall in Barrie to raise their flag in support of those afflicted with the disease, their families, and volunteers who are working to help them find a better life.
Huntington’s Disease is a neurodegenerative disorder that manifests at first as uncontrollable twitching in hands and face. Other symptoms include loss of balance and clumsiness. Dementia eventually develops and depression is common. Feelings of isolation and denial are common. Those afflicted often die of complications caused by Huntington’s and the life expectancy after diagnosis is now about 20 years. Stem cell research offers new hope for Huntington’s patients as do new drugs and treatments.
Nikki is a six-year-old blonde husky mix who is in need of a forever home. Precious Paws Rescue approached us asking for help in finding the right match. Our crew travelled to the north of Orillia to meet this special dog, and to record her story.
This production is the first to go online that was produced by our Production Associate Tiffany Scott. This is a big step forward for this young professional in the making who came to our team at Five Points Media with little experience but big hopes and enthusiasm just two years ago.
Barrie’s own Moonwalk Entertainment Inc has taken up the cause of helping a charity in Peterborough that works to help reptiles of all kinds, most of which have been abandoned or have become too much to care for to those who used to love them as pets.
Karen Roy, of Moonwalk Entertainment Inc. came up with the idea of merging her company’s inflatable entertainment business with dinosaurs from the Indian River Reptile Zoo to provide Barrie residents, and those of other communities, with an educational and fun day for children and parents of all ages.
We had a little fun with this one, and we highly recommend you catch the show the next time the Dinosaurs Live shows comes to town.
When we were approached by Chris Sheridan, we had never heard of the Georgian FoodLocker Barrie, and we were set on a path to have our eyes opened as to the reality of post-secondary education in the 21st century.
According to their statistics, two out of every four students at Georgian College live at some level of need in regards to buying viable and healthy kinds and quantities of food, and one in four is too proud or afraid to ask for help.
This program, that is run by and mostly financed by students, helps to ensure that those who cannot afford food get what they need so they can concentrate more on their studies than where they will find their next meal.
The King Edward Choir is joined in its May concert by the Valen Ensemble. Cellist, John Trembath founded the Valen Ensemble in 2002. The members come from the major ensembles in Southern Ontario. They may be seen in concert and heard on recordings with the Toronto, Kitchener-Waterloo and Hamilton symphonies, Esprit Orchestra, Trillium Brass, Stratford and Shaw Festivals as well as in major musical theatre productions.
Saturday, May 4th, 2019 at 2:00 p.m. & 7:30 p.m.
It is that time of year again when the staff and management at Connect Hair Studio pull out all stops to help a local charity to raise funds for a worthy cause. This year, the recipient of their Women's Connection 5 Flower Power is Habitat Huronia & Restore, an amazing organization that helps financially challenged families to find good homes they can afford, partly because they helped build them with many dedicated volunteers.
This year's event, being held at the Casal Catering & Lion's Gate Banquet Hall at 366 Blake St. is being promoted with the theme of 60's flower power. All participants are requested to come dressed for that era.
Our newest video is in support of Furry Friends, a no-kill cat sanctuary that provides for the needs of hundreds or more cats each year, but which now finds itself looking for a new home. Details can be found at Save Furry Friends Animal Shelter.
This all-volunteer driven organization finds, accepts, and takes in wild, injured, abandoned, and sick cats, totally about 100 currently, and they provide them with a safe place to regain their health while waiting for adoption. They also refuse to euthanize any cat for non-medical reasons and they have in some cases provided a home to a Furry Friend for several years.
Giving back to the community is kind of our thing, and that is exactly what real estate agent Alicia Linklater at Century 21 B.J Roth Realty LTD and Mortgage Broker Alana Myers did this weekend when they held a community Easter egg hunt on the grounds of St. Marguerite D'Youville Elementary School.
Although the event was targeting residents of the east and west Bayfield subdivisions, all were welcome and kids ranged from babies to twelve. An estimated 300 children attended this sixth annual rush for chocolate.
Butterfly Model Brought To Barrie, 2019
Brightening the lives of dementia residents at Barrie Seniors Home
It has been our pleasure these past eight weeks to drop in at different stages of a massive and frankly loving upgrade of services for dementia residents at the IOOF Seniors Homes Inc. in south Barrie. Our thanks to Micheline Robichaud, the Manager of Revenue Development for asking us to cover this story.
The project uses bright colours and simplistic imagery to help orient and calm the residents as they tour down country lanes and city streets past familiar sights to find their home door by its unique appearance.
Many of our followers will remember from last year the mini-documentary we titled "A Story of Heroes and Dragons"
It was the story of Lillian Pottage, a then four-year-old little girl who at the age of less than two had been stricken with leukaemia. We also reported on how her family had received help from both their community and a very unique charity.
The Tyler Robinson Foundation was founded by the popular music group Imagine Dragons, and they named their benevolent cause in honour of a young fan who had died suddenly of childhood cancer after it was believed he had beaten the disease.
This year we went back for the fifth such special day at St. John Paul Catholic Elementary School here in Barrie where we recorded the celebration of a very fun fundraiser held in support of the TRF that raised more than $8,300.00 to help Canadian families fighting childhood cancer.
This past Sunday, March 17, 2019, marked the fifth anniversary of Barrie’s own unique Hope City Church. Our crew was not able to attend the festivities, but we were happy to present the congregation with this small gift of an inside look at this unique local house of worship.
Many of us think of religious services as stained glass, hard pews, and long dry sermons, but the ‘word of God’ as taught at Hope City Church, is very different. Instead of just passing the plate and calling on parishioners to help them, Pastor Kevin Mast and his team of mostly volunteers reach out to help those at the lowest levels of our society; the homeless, the addicts, the mentally ill, the despondent, the depressed, and others in the greatest need of help and hope.
It may not be the coldest days of the winter, but across Ontario, tomorrow, Saturday, February 23rd, is the Coldest Night of the Year. The event here in Barrie, Coldest Night of the Year Barrie, starts and ends at City Hall, and it is run in support of Youth Haven Canada. In addition to good times, this yearly event features a free hat and a chilli dinner for all participants.
First Nations culture is a mystery to many people in our country, and sometimes those who are not familiar with Aboriginal traditions do not know how to learn more about those who occupied and cared for this land before any others. The Barrie Native FC is a great place to learn, and they are always looking for volunteers.
This Winter Round Dance, held at the Barrie South Shore Centre on February 11th, was all about saying thank you to the volunteers who help make the cross-cultural community group possible.
Winter starts feeling a little less welcome this time of year, so our crew decided to go out and find the fun of this season. First, we visited MPP Andrea Khanjin's community skate at the Innisfil Recreational Complex, and then to Barrie Winterfest 2019, co-hosted at Heritage Park by the City of Barrie and the Barrie Native FC Friendship Centre.
myTEAM TRIUMPH Canada (MTT Canada) is a registered Canadian charity operating entirely through the efforts of faithful volunteers and donors. Their goal is to enhance the lives of disabled children by merging their youthful enthusiasm with the physical abilities of able-bodied runners at events like marathons. To do this, they must raise money to buy specialized chairs that are designed specifically for the task.
The MEC Barrie Runninjas is a local running club who meet regularly to stretch their limits on different courses around our city. Heather Morgan arranged to borrow some of the running chairs from My Team Triumph Canada in Toronto. Then she recruited two enthusiastic local boys, Jaxon and Mathew, to be ‘Captains’ and for the MEC Barrie Runninjas to be their ‘Angels’.
We all met on a cold and snowy day in November of 2018, and this is what happened.
The Barrie Public Library holds educational and entertaining events throughout the year for both children and adults. For more information please visit https://www.barrielibrary.ca/programs-events/bpl-events
ZooTek is a business based in Innisfil that specializes in exotic animal shows for entertainment and displays.
The holidays are a time of family, friends, and feasting. However, for a growing portion of our community that time of good will to all does not extend to them.
Fortunately, in our City of Barrie, we have Rose Romita and her dozens of volunteers who every year collect food and funding from local businesses, caring people, and anonymous donors so they can provide a feast for our city's homeless, hungry, lonely, and lost.
If you have children, you need to schedule a visit to Mavricks Music Hall on December 2nd from 11:00 am until 5:00 pm where a kid's day of activities and fun is happening as presented by the Glowing Hearts Community Give & Get Centre - Barrie.
The Let's Give a Kid a Christmas Event is a party featuring face painting, games, kid’s karaoke, popcorn, a fun photo booth, cosplay and cartoon characters, and of course, Santa.
Santa Claus was the most wanted man in Barrie
Today, our Producer, John Ironside, met with Al Quigley of Mavricks Music Hall and Ian Churchward of the Glowing Hearts Community Give & Get Centre - Barrie to discuss final preparations for the 'Let's Give a Kid a Christmas' event, being held on Sunday, December 2nd from 11:00am until 5:00pm. While in the old theatre, John noticed more fully the country and western motif of the venue. So, tonight he decided to play with his new toys and came up with this
Santa Claus was the most wanted man in Barrie
It was an absolute pleasure yesterday for our Producer, John Ironside and Production Associate, Tiffany Scott to work with truly energetic and fun on-camera talent like Reg Howard, aka Santa (http://onsantasknee.com), and young cosplay artist Kearstin Reckzin, of Cosplay with K. Please thank them by sharing this video.
Together we worked as a true team to produce a second promotional video for the ‘Let’s Give a Kid a Christmas’ event being held by Glowing Hearts Community Give & Get Centre - Barrie at Mavricks Music Hall on Sunday, December 2nd from 11:00 - 5:00.
The Glowing Hearts Community Give & Get Centre - Barrie is holding a party for some special guests, including Santa Claus and a whole bunch of characters from Marvel, DC, Disney, and more.
This is a great event for kids and parents alike, as it includes all kinds of entertainment, raffles, draws, silent auction items, and more.
Best of all, at the low cost of just $10.00 for adults and $15.00 per couple, it is a cost-effective way to get that professional picture of your children with Santa Claus while avoiding the high cost of doing so at the mall.
Last night our Producer, John Ironside, spent a chunk of his evening grabbing a bite and chatting with a local wounded veteran who now finds himself homeless in Barrie. He is not alone. Current statistics estimate there are more than 2,000 men, women, and children are experiencing Episodic, Transitional, or Chronic Homelessness within our beautiful and prosperous city this very day and night.
There are groups helping, such as the David Busby Centre, the Salvation Army Barrie Bayside Mission Centre, the Glowing Hearts Community Give & Get Centre - Barrie, and Friends of the Homeless Living in Barrie, but we can each also help in our own ways.
Yesterday it was our honour to take part in the Remembrance Day ceremony in Barrie, which we recorded in full for those who could not make it, or for those who know somebody who was participating. Hundreds of veterans, soldiers, cadets, band members, and others participated, so it is likely you will see a face or two you know.
Please share this video as a way of thanking all those who committed themselves to showing respect to those who paid the ultimate sacrifice to ensure our safety and liberties. This year marked the 100th anniversary of the armistice that ended World War One, and we thought it was important to focus on not just the ceremony, but also those in the audience who remembered those who had been lost.
On Saturday, October 27th, our team got down with the dogs at Flourish Vitality Centre, a yoga studio that was holding an event called Puppy Yoga in support of C.O.P.E. Service Dogs.
The people of The City of Barrie are truly caring and philanthropic.
One way they show just how much they care about their community and those who live in it is by watching, liking, and sharing our stories that are all about them and those in our city who have no voice through mainstream media!
We have received quite a few requests recently for information about what is coming down the production pike at Five Points Media. So, Producer, John Ironside and Production Associate Tiffany Scott stepped out from behind the camera to provide some details.
Last Saturday, October 27, our crew dropped in on the Barrie City Hall Rotunda, where the Barrie Latin Resource Centre was celebrating the fifth annual Latin American Heritage Celebration. It was a festival of music, dance, and food for all ages.
While there, we spoke with BLRC President, Nina Donayre, and also MPP Andrea Khanjin and John Brassard - MP for Barrie-Innisfil; both of whom are strong supporters of Latino culture.
They could not have asked for nicer weather when Living Green Barrie joined forces with the Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority - LSRCA and the Conservation Foundation to host the Barrie Community Tree Planting at the Sandy Hollow Disc Golf field beside the landfill in Barrie.
About a hundred individuals and families registered to help plant 300 trees of various kinds that will provide a windbreak and improve our city's urban canopy. We spoke with organizers and with Barrie-Innisfill MPP Andrea Khanjin, who mucked in to plant a few trees with help from one of her staff.
On Friday, October 12, our Producer, John Ironside, ventured to Georgian Mall, in Barrie, to record the Idle No More Flash Round Dance at Georgian Mall, Barrie, where Indigenous members of our community were speaking out against prejudice, biased legal rulings by the judiciary, a lack of respect shown by by all levels of our government, and the lack of action regarding the thousands of Indigenous women who have been murdered or who have been reported missing since the 1970s. Through a combination of song and dance, these peaceful protesters drew quite a crowd while handing out helpful and insightful information.
For most people, Thanksgiving is a time for family. However, not everybody has family nearby, or still in their lives. So, for about 23 years, Rose Romita, aka City Councillor Rose Romita Ward 2, has held a come one come all Thanksgiving dinner where everybody is welcome to grab a plate and enjoy a great holiday meal with friends and strangers alike.
The meal is free to all, and all the fixings are donated by local businesses and residents. Rose estimated this year she and her volunteers would serve about 350 people, and make about 800 meals.
Our production crew of Producer John Ironside and Production Associate Tiffany Scott got fully into character for this shoot, and we mean that literally, before recording the BPL Comic Con ® event held on September 22nd at the Barrie Public Library.
This event, held yearly, is a combination of science fiction, fantasy, character cosplay, technology, geekdom, fandom, gaming, and a whole lot more. The purpose of the event is to promote imagination while also inspiring young and old to come to the library.
What would make five-year-old Jaxon Mitchell say "I felt . . . like nothing I guess"?
We found out when Micheline Robichaud, Micheline For Ward 6 - Barrie candidate for City Council in Ward 6, relayed to us the story of Keith Mitchell, a father who had reached out to her to see if she could help him gain access for his son to a public path in the Ardagh Bluffs.
Every year hundreds of superheroes from every comic book universe descend upon the Barrie waterfront to participate in the annual Candlelighters Simcoe Superhero Stomp. Together, they unite for a better world, to kick cancer’s butt, and to help the families of those facing the longest and darkest periods of their lives.
Kids with cancer in Barrie need you to be their superheroes.
Are you up to the challenge?
Fierté Simcoe Pride raised awareness of diversity across Simcoe County during their annual Pride celebration that this year ran from July 30 through August 12, 2018.
Our crew at Five Points Media was happy to support our local LGBTQ community by reporting on various events, including flag risings at the offices of the County of Simcoe and the Township of Springwater, and also the Niizh Manidook Pow Wow, held at Springwater Park as a celebration of Two-Spirit youth by the Chimnissing (Beausoleil First Nation).
Those who are not driven enough to start their fitness plan might become motivated when they see our story about Heather and Trevor Morgan.
This couple from Barrie has faced a lot of struggles, but now despite a crippling medical condition that restricts Heather to a wheelchair, the dynamic duo has entered themselves as contestants in the upcoming Barrie Triathlon.
On July 27th, 2018 The Michael Stuart Webb Team held a fundraiser at the Barrie Country Club for the Women and Children's Shelter of Barrie. Our team was hired to record the events of the evening, including comments by guests and a live performance by Jully Black, who is most famous for her song ‘Seven Day Fool’.
As most know, the new Progressive Conservative provincial government has dictated a politically motivated decision to withdraw the current health and sex education curriculum in favour of one that was written in 1998. This action was promised by Premier Doug Ford during the campaign as a transparent capitulation to the demands of a very few hardcore social conservatives who supported his pitch for the leadership of the party.
We try to stay out of politics, but we believe this decision is antithetical to the best interests of our children, of any student, and of our society in general. According to the many experts and concerned citizens who we interviewed, the rollback syllabus is so out of date as to actually endanger the health, safety, and very lives of the children it is meant to educate.
On Thursday, June 28, 2018, a cross-section of Barrie citizens met at the new Meridian Square to express their concerns about the changes in environmental policies being implemented by Premier-designate Doug Ford and his Conservative government. Speakers included Keenan Aylwin and Bonnie North, both Candidates of Record for the Green Party in the most recent provincial election, and Erïch Jacoby-Hawkins of Living Green Barrie, who has also run several times for the Green Party in Barrie.
It was a pleasure for our crew at Five Points Media to record the dinner theatre presentation of 'Bloody Tuesday', held on May 10, 2018, in support of We Are The Villagers. The Midland-based charity works with Canadian Tire Jumpstart to help kids enjoy extracurricular activities that their families may not be able to afford. This short overview video features local talent, including Mary-Ellen O'Neill-Madeley, Greg Smith, Jennifer Armstrong-Lehman, Angel Vizza, Angela Baker, James Aubé, Leanne Page, and Amanda Trinacty.
The women of Barrie will unite once again this May 7, 2018, as Connect Hair Studio hosts their annual Women's Connection fundraising event. This year is the fourth in the series, and the supported charity is Epilepsy Simcoe County, represented here by Board Chair Diane FitzGerald.
Our crew from Five Points Media will be there to record the fun.
It was our pleasure to promote and then record the highlights of the Jammin' for Jamie concert held on May 11, 2018, at Mavricks Music Hall in downtown Barrie, as presented by Impact Live Events. The concert, held in support of the CMHA- Simcoe County, featured local bands One Knight's Stand and Fish Head who opened for the Northern Pikes and then headliner Sass Jordan. It was a great night with an important message.
If you have ever seen the movie The Notebook, you will love this story.
Casey and Regina Kesseler had been together in life and love for almost six decades when Alzheimer's suddenly changed everything in their lives. Nonetheless, through the assistance of the Alzheimer Society of Simcoe County, they strive on hand in hand, determined to remain together and to take on all battles.
Tonight is a big night in the City of Barrie as Sass Jordan headlines the Jammin' For Jamie 2018: Sass Jordan and The Northern Pikes! concert in support of the Canadian Mental Health Association, Ontario and their services to prevent suicide.
The concert event, now in its fifth year, was spearheaded by the wife and children of Jamie Turner, a highly respected nurse who took his own life, apparently due to trauma. The services that have been inspired and funded by this series of concerts focus on suicide by adults, and especially those experiencing mid-life.
There is only one day left to buy a ticket for the Youth Haven Canada prom night! Please purchase a ticket to send one of Youth Haven's past or present residents, or an outreach client, to their first annual prom night event. The once-in-a-lifetime event includes fabulous hair and make-up to add to the magic of the night.
Our crew at Five Points Media were drawn into the mystery while shooting this promo video for the Bloody Tuesday Murder Mystery Dinner, a Mardis Gras murder mystery held in support of We Are The Villagers.
The dinner theatre production is being presented on Thursday, May 10, 2018 at Ferndale Banquet Hall and Catering, 10 Ferndale Industrial Dr., Barrie. Doors open at 6:00pm.
On Saturday, May 5, 2018, the King Edward Choir is holding two concerts at the Collier Street United Church; one in the afternoon at 2:00, and the other in the evening at 7:30. This performance is called 'Time Travel', as it features a range of pieces from different time periods. Tickets can be purchased at the MacLaren Art Centre or at the door at a cost of $25.00 for adults and $15.00 for students.
The women of Barrie will unite once again this May 7, 2018, as Connect Hair Studio hosts their annual Women's Connection fundraising event. This year is the fourth in the series, and the supported charity is Epilepsy Simcoe County, represented here by Board Chair Diane FitzGerald.
Our crew from Five Points Media will be there to record the fun.
Our crew were delighted earlier this month to be invited by St. John Paul II Catholic Elementary School in Barrie to record a very special day when children united behind one of their youngest and most vulnerable classmates who had just returned to school after more than two years of treatment for leukaemia. This day was all about fundraising and saying thank-you to a charity called The Tyler Robinson Foundation, that was created by the well-known musical group Imagine Dragons. The TRF helps pay the bills of the parents of children facing the life-threatening challenges caused by cancer.
Those wishing to help the Tyler Robinson Foundation can do so at:
http://www.trf.org/donate
On Saturday, February 24, 2018 our crew was out on the streets of Barrie recording the Coldest Night of the Year Barrie in support of Youth Haven Canada. The event drew a reported 222 walkers, 33 teams, 507 donors, and has raised so far $37,851.00. The goal was $100,000.00 and donations can still be made.
Youth Haven provides an invaluable service to youth and young adults who for whatever reason now find themselves living on the streets. Often the reason is physical, verbal, or sexual abuse, but issues also include mental health and addictions within the family.
On February 22nd, Team Wishes held a fundraiser at Retro Planet for the Starlight Children's Foundation Canada in honour of our mutual friend, the late Frank Nelson. They are holding two more fundraisers in Franks name.
The 'Tree of Love' fundraiser honoured Barrie's late philanthropist Frank Nelson during January and February of 2018 at the Glowing Hearts Community Give & Get Centre - Barrie.
The 'Tree of Love' fundraiser that honours Barrie's late philanthropist Frank Nelson continued until the end of February at the Glowing Hearts Community Give & Get Centre - Barrie.
For only $2.00, patrons and supporters were able to buy a heart and post it on the tree that was painted on the front window of the centre. That heart could include their name or that of a loved one. Frank's never-ending commitment to those in need and the community continues through the efforts of his daughter, Cindy Thompson, and CEO Sean Stephen. The tree was painted by Sean's wife Lori.
The late Frank Nelson had a dream, to raise funds for the Glowing Hearts Community Give and Get Centre - Barrie and increase public awareness of poverty by riding an e-bike from Charlottetown PEI to Barrie via Southern Ontario.
Sadly Frank succumbed to his illness in December 2017, before he could start the C4CRide
Now the torch has been lifted by Frank's daughter, Cindy Thompson, and she, and Frank's friend, Sean Stephen, are going to pick up where Frank left off and complete his final wish. This video, shot on February 13, 2018, is the first training session with their new Personal Trainer, Amy Watts, at the YMCA of Simcoe/Muskoka.
Every year teens and young adults die alone on the streets of our cities. Some leave home due to violence, addictions in the house, or sexual and mental abuse. Youth Haven is working to help them by getting them off the streets and on the path to a better life. The Coldest Night of the Year event is Barrie is run to raise funds to support this worthy cause.
It's cold out there, and nobody should have to face it alone
We are happy to be able to present the completed Collaborate Nottawasaga project, which involved our crew producing about twenty individual videos about various social agencies, and also the Nottawasaga Detachment of the Ontario Provincial Police. Collaborate Nottawasaga is a situation table focused on dealing with ‘acutely elevated risks’ within Adjala Tosorontio, New Tecumseth, York County, and Simcoe County. It incorporates more than 30 local support and advocacy groups that work in areas ranging from law enforcement to housing, food security to mental health, and security for women and children to emergency services. Representatives meet once a week to present cases that require immediate attention. The idea of a series of informative videos was the brainchild of OPP Constable Kirsten Buligan, who sits at the table. She had heard about the Sy-STEM Links project to help the homeless and others in need that our crew helped to spearhead earlier this year. According to Constable Buligan, that was exactly what they wanted for the Collaborate Nottawasaga Situation Table videos.
It was our pleasure last Saturday, September 16, 2017, to work once again with the staff and volunteers of the Women & Children's Shelter of Barrie as they once again raised public awareness and much-needed funding through the Walk A Mile in Her Shoes 2017 event. While there we spoke with local representatives of all levels of government, including City Councillor Rose Romita Ward 2 and Ken Weatherill, Deputy Chief, Barrie Police Service, MPP Ann Hoggarth and Alex Nuttall MP, as well as Presenting Sponsors at Meridian Credit Union and Royal LePage Canada in Barrie, and of course the staff at the Shelter who make it all happen. Entertainment featured the Cairo's Jewels BellyDance performers and Dale and Charlie from 107.5 Kool FM.
Pole fitness is a popular form of personal empowerment for many women, both young and seasoned. However, in September 2016 the London Abused Women’s Centre caused considerable controversy when they withdrew from the 'Take Back the Night' women's march and demonstration because the organizers had agreed to welcome a demonstration by 'The Pole House', a local Pole Fitness club. This action, and several statements made by the LAWC sparked a war of words on-line between advocates for and against Pole Fitness, which in some cases became quite heated. Lori Graystone, the owner of Barrie's 'Rock n Pole' was one of the most outspoken voices in support of Pole Fitness, so we worked with her to get to the bottom of the question for women: does pole fitness represent empowerment or exploitation?
On Tuesday, August 22, 2017, our good friend Frank Nelson, the founder of the Glowing Hearts Community Give & Get Centre - Barrie, asked if we could drop by and record an event that he and Executive Director Victoria Potter had arranged for a group of young people who had taken part in a painting day at the centre. The youth, ranging in age from very young to teenagers, were to be rewarded for their efforts with a knapsack filled with school supplies, and also personal items just for fun.
Frank Nelson, the founder of the Glowing Hearts Community Give & Get Centre - Barrie, asked us to drop by on Saturday, September 2, 2017, to record a few short videos. Subjects included recent changes to his health, the C4C Ride, the art wall painted by childrent at the Give and Get, and other matters. We have currently posted the first two videos and will be adding others shortly.
On Friday, August 18, 2017, as many as 300 people representing a cross section of our mixed culture came to Barrie City Hall to protest the concept of white supremacy. The event also included a vigil in honour of Heather Heyer, a 32-year-old American woman who was killed when a 'white nationalist' ran his car into a crowd of civil rights protesters in Charlottesville, Virginia.
About a week before the 'Move-It For Young Minds event' our producer went to St. Vincent Park, were he met with Amber Sitara McAuley, the founder of the event, and Errol Lee, a local singer and entertainer who is one of her strongest supporters. Their shared goal was to put together a handful of short promo videos that could be shared on social media during the next few days to boost interest. They had to be short, to the point, energized, and visually interesting.
Please visit mfym.ca for more information.
Our crew had a barking good time on Friday, August 4, 2017, working with the organizers, trainers, and puppy fosters of C.O.P.E. Service Dogs as they celebrated the raising of their flag at City Hall.
COPE is 'Canine Opportunity, People Empowerment'
Every year the Women and Children’s Shelter of Barrie asks the men of their community to not just talk the talk, but to walk the walk. Hundreds of men rise to the occasion, and put on women’s shoes, or if need be their own shoes decorated for the occasion, and they walk a mile in support of the women and girls in their lives.
Our crew, for the third year in a row, has shot, cut, and as was appropriate updated a promotional video for this event, and every year we have attended, camera in hand, shooting new footage for the year to come.
A few weeks ago our good friend Amber Sitara McAuley approached us to record a promo for the charity Move-It for Young Minds. So, we recorded some comments with participants and volunteers at St. Vincent Park and then did some magic in the edit suite to come up with this short but visually potent promotional video.
Move-It for Young Minds is a charity event in support of children and youth who are living with mental health challenges.
The Move-It for Young Minds event is taking place on August 27th from 9:00 am -12:00 pm. It will feature a combination of walking with active stretching in a 5km migration around St. Vincent Park Pavilion, in The City of Barrie.
A new play has started at The Mady Centre for the Performing Arts about the downtown culture of Barrie, and it is coincidentally entitled "The Five Points". (No relation, just friends :)
The reason we are reporting on this play is that it is a documentary style production based verbatim on the words of some of our city's most interesting people; ranging from business people to the homeless, from sex workers to a city councillor, and from a strip club bouncer to a music promoter. The play also has a very strong social message . . . which you can learn about through this short video we produced about the production. The play, produced by Theatre by the Bay, is showing until July 29, 2017.
One thing we like to support at Five Points Media is philanthropy. No matter if it is by a company or an individual, as long as it is real, we are happy to support their cause. Sharon Smith and her team at Connect Hair Studio are the real deal, as they get behind a cause and make it happen to help whatever charity or group they feel needs their help. Through this event, entitled Women's Connection 3, Sharon and her team raised $4501.00 for Youth Haven Canada, an organization that is dedicated to helping youth who are facing homelessness; a situation that is truly one of the most horrifying prospects for any person at any age, but especially so for these more vulnerable members of our society.
Since it opened about six months ago, the Glowing Hearts Community Give and Get Centre has helped thousands of Barrie’s residents by providing free clothing, household items, and other necessities of life. So, Frank Nelson, the Founder, and Victoria Potter, the Director, used the opportunities provided by the annual Promenade Days event to promote the centre. All labour provided for the event was donated by volunteers, as were our services in the production of this simple promo video.
The ‘Walk A Mile’ fund-raiser for the Women and Children’s Shelter of Barrie is one of their most important days of the year. It is a combination of community involvement, support for women, and comic relief, as for one day men try to walk in women’s shoes.
Often very large women’s shoes!!
It has been absolutely our pleasure these past few months to be working in collaboration with St. John Ambulance Barrie Simcoe Muskoka to produce for them this ‘Who We Are” video that illustrates so well the various community support services provided by their more than 200 local volunteers. Like many, we thought their services stopped at First Aid, but we could not have been more wrong. In addition to that vital role, volunteers at St. John Ambulance Simcoe Muskoka provide upwards of 22,000 hours of voluntary community service in areas ranging from education and training of young parents and children through to service dogs for seniors and students.
Randy Aylwin, the owner of the Grilled Cheese Social Eatery, helps to feed the homeless by providing about 2,000 sandwiches a year to those in severe need. He accomplishes this by offering his patrons the opportunity to buy discounted sandwiches and coffee, that are then put into a suspension program, for distribution to the homeless and needy.
We thought his story was very deserving of public support
On Wednesday, May 10, 2017 our crew met with Frank Nelson, the creator of the Community Give and Get centre, to record him test driving an recumbent ebike at Ebike Universe in Toronto. We could not have asked for a nicer day, or better cooperation from the business. Frank is a 60-year-old former businessman who is currently undergoing treatment for stage four colon cancer. Despite his terminal diagnosis, Frank is planning a long journey on that bike, starting in Charlottetown and ending in Barrie; taking the long route around Ontario. His goal is to raise enough money to open Community Give and Get centres in various cities across Ontario, just like the one he and his team have opened in Barrie.
It was our pleasure on Friday, April 28th to work with organizers Diane and Michelle Woolfrey of the Barrie Visions Gala team to record this promotional video featuring chef Nicole Meehan preparing a salad, boiling vegetables, and defrosting and broiling a chicken breast.
And all while blindfolded
SY-STEM Links Promo Video, 2017
The project was originally entitled 'STEM Interface' - View the SY-STEM Links Introductory Video
Homelessness is a growing problem that will not be resolved by people blaming the afflicted for their suffering. SY-STEM Links is a web and kiosk based information system intended to help those suffering through both episodic and chronic homelessness. The original concept came from Tom Chapman of the CMHA and Patching the Past who has worked with homeless persons for many years. He needed a system that could reach everybody suffering through both episodic and chronic homelessness, and our skills in video production and responsive website design were what was needed to accomplish that goal. Many homeless people sustain a cell phone for personal communications and job searching, so our system will be completely mobile accessible.
Each year since 2015 Sharon Smith, the owner and Master Stylist at Connect Hair Studio, has organized and run a fund-raiser called Women's Connection in support of a local charity. In 2016 we worked with the team at Connect Hair Studio to support the Women and Children's Shelter of Barrie, and this year our crew from Five Points Media will be there to help Sharon and her stylists support Youth Haven.
Do you know how much Social Return on Investment is generated by your donations? It is important to understand the Social Return on Investment provided by the charities we all support. In this short video, Frank Nelson, a thirty year veteran of the business world in Canada, explains how much good is done for the community in general by the donations being given to the Glowing Hearts Community Give and Get.
During the first six weeks their volunteer staff helped more than 1,000 people and the gave away more than 9,000 donated items to those in need. Frank Nelson, the creator of the Community Give and Get, wanted to tell his supporters of the success, and our crew at Five Points Media were happy to help him do so.
In this comedic rant video, Barrie comedian Andrea Murray looked a little out of her element as she tried to figure out what gadget did what in the tool belt that was almost as big as she was, while wearing workman’s coveralls that were so much more stylish and form-fitting than her usual flair.
Andrea met our Five Points Media crew at Tangle Creek Golf and Country Club on Saturday, March 25th to shoot a short video in support of the Home Sweet Home fund-raiser that is being held on March 29, 2017 at that location.
On March 21, 2017, Frank Nelson, Barrie philanthropist and creator of the Community Give and Get centre, received a cheque from Walmart Canada as presented by Barrie South store Manager Vincent Caruana. Our crew from Five Points Media was there to record the event.
The 80 km/h winds made for some interesting challenges, but if you missed the International Women’s Day event but wanted to go, here is your chance to catch some of the highlights. International Women’s Day is celebrated every year on March 8, at which time women and men come together to celebrate the power, the spirit, and the many accomplishments of women and girls around the world. In Barrie in 2017 the festive meeting was led by the Women and Children’s Shelter of Barrie. Our production crew has a long history of working to assist the Women and Children’s Shelter of Barrie and as such we were more than happy to record the event for them.
Although February 25, 2017 was not in reality the 'Coldest Night of the Year', the thermometer did drop quite a few degrees in recognition of the event and snow and wind picked up considerably for the occasion. Our crew were in Orillia recording on behalf of our friends at The Lighthouse Soup Kitchen and Shelter, shooting a crowd of more than 500 participants. Our role was to record the event and cut from it a short video featuring the high-points of the 'Coldest Night of the Year' 2017 event.
Kelly Scaglione is a woman of incredible heart and compassion. Every day, often seven days a week, downtown residents of Barrie Ontario see her in her white SUV waiting outside the bus station; however, she is not there for work or to meet a loved one. Kelly Scaglione is there to meet a van coming in from the local jail that is loaded with released prisoners she does not know but wants to help. The prisoner transport is coming from the Central North Correctional Centre located in Penetanguishene in Central Ontario. When they are released Kelly will meet them and offer them seasonal clothing, Tim’s cards, toiletries, and other necessities to maintain them while they get back on their feet and reoriented to the world some of them left years ago. Kelly calls her cause, Restoring Dignity and Hope.
All other videos are accessible through the red "A List of Our Stories" tab on the top of all pages