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Friday, September 9, 2016 9 Brooklin Town Crier Creative? Register for Durham Tourism's Culture Days Durham Tourism is inviting area municipalities, event producers, and arts and heritage organizations to celebrate arts and culture in Durham Region during Culture Days, which runs from Sept. 30 to Oct. 2. Now in its seventh year, Culture Days invites the public to explore, participate and share in vibrant arts and culture events in every community across the country. In 2015, Culture Days took place coast to coast in more than 900 Canadian communities, with total attendance topping two million. An astounding 7,500 free activities were presented across the country, proving Culture Days as a creative showcase now firmly entrenched in the national cultural calendar. "We are encouraging all local artists and venues to participate in this three-day event to celebrate Durham Region's culture, creativity and rich heritage," said Kathy Weiss, Director of Economic Development and Tourism. "Last year, more than 50 activities took place here in Durham Region as part of Culture Days. This year, we hope even more members of our creative community join the celebration." Culture Days events are free, hands-on, interactive activities that invite the public to participate "behind the scenes" and discover the world of artists, creators, historians, architects, curators and designers at work in their communities. Last year, events in Durham Region included studio tours and open houses, art exhibitions, heritage tours, concerts, performances, dance workshops, craft sessions, storytelling, martial arts and more. Durham Tourism is requesting that all interested participants register their Culture Days events online as soon as possible, via the Durham Tourism and Culture Days websites. By registering an event on www.durhamtourism. ca and www.culturedays.ca, organizers will be part of both local and national marketing campaigns where events will be promoted in the media. For more information, contact Durham Tourism toll-free at 1-800-413-0017 or tourism@ durham.ca. Durham Film Festival to Feature Family Day The 2016 Durham Region Film Festival (DRFF) will be Sept. 16 to 18. Tickets are on sale through the Regent Theatre Box Office at tickets.regenttheatre. ca/2016DurhamFilmFestival. The three-day event will feature film screenings at four venues, including a family friendly day at the Docville Wild West movie set. Attendees will have an opportunity to see how a movie is made from script to screen and attend creative workshops. The DRFF will take place at four locations in Durham: the Regent Theatre and Robert McLaughlin Gallery in Oshawa, the Docville movie set in Clarington, and the historic St. Francis Centre for Community, Arts and Culture in Ajax. The festival aims to bring the magic of film to local residents and visitors with an exciting lineup of 53 films from 18 countries, as well as workshops and interactive activities. For more information about the DRFF programming and to purchase festival tickets, please visit www.investdurham.ca/ filmfestival. Diamond Sponsors (from left to right) Central Lake Ontario Conservation - Mayor Don Mitchell (Chair) TransCanada - Gretchen Gordon Ontario Power Generation - Carrie-Anne Atkins RBC Blue Water Project - Karen Roberts Central Lake Ontario Conservation - Chris Darling (CAO) Durham Children's Groundwater Festival Coordinator - Yvonne Storm MOOSE (being held by Yvonne) TD Friends of the Environment - Unable to attend Children's Groundwater Festival Supports Watershed Education On August 25th, Central Lake Ontario hosted a photo event with the Diamond Sponsors of the 19th Annual Durham Children's Groundwater Festival. The goal of the Festival is to motivate students to be good water stewards in their home, classroom and community. The Diamond Sponsors combined donation will support more than 4,500 grade 4 students at this year's event and will help to reduce the student admission fee from $28/student actual cost to $9.50, including busing. The Durham Children's Groundwater Festival is a giant outdoor sci- ence centre consisting of 37 interactive learning stations, all focused on water. The Festival will be held from September 26th to 30th at Camp Samac in Oshawa. At the conclusion of this year's event, more than 73,000 grade 4 students will have participated in this unique environmental program. In the photo, The Diamond Sponsors are announcing a new interactive Festival student activity "The Scoop on Poop - Protect the Watershed." Each day in Durham Region approximately 14,000 to 20,000 kg of dog poop per day is not picked up by pet owners, enough to fill 1 to 1.5 dump trucks. When it rains, all the nutrients and bacteria go into the watershed where we get our drinking water. If you stoop and scoop and dispose of it properly, then you contribute to a healthy watershed, today and tomorrow. Anyone interested in supporting the Festival through a financial or in-kind donation is asked to contact Patricia Lowe, Festival Organizing Committee Chair, at the Central Lake Ontario Conservation office (905) 579-0411 ext. 126. Information on the Festival may also be found online at www.groundwaterfestival.ca. Smile Cookies Benefit Community Care Durham Durham Region Tim Hortons have selected Community Care Durham (CCD) as the charity of choice for their Smile Cookie Campaign. During the week of September 12 to 18, the full $1 from every Smile Cookie purchased is donated to CCD. Last year, participating Durham Region Tim Hortons raised $145,000 and this year, with your help, they hope to raise even more. The Smile Cookie Campaign began in 1996 as a way to help raise funds for the Hamilton Children's Hospital and has grown to become a major fundraising event at Tim Hortons restaurants. Nationally, Tim Hortons restaurant owners support more than 460 local charities, hospitals and community programs through the campaign. Last year, the Smile Cookie Campaign raised $6.3 million across Canada. Community Care Durham is a multi-service registered charitable organization providing home support, respite and mental health services to more than 12,000 Durham Region adults and their caregivers who have needs related to aging, physical and/or mental health. Our services are provided free of charge or for a minimal fee. The funds raised through the sale of Smile Cookies will be put to great use in continuing to support our clients with services that enrich their independence, health and quality of life. During Smile Cookie week, please head out to a participating Durham Region Tim Hortons and make your inner Cookie Monster smile. Every Smile Cookie you buy helps Community Care Durham provide services to people in your neighbourhood, maybe even someone you know. For more information, please contact: Bette Hodgins - 905-985-6640 Email: bhodgins@communitycaredurham.on.ca