Running from 6:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m., the event will bring together community members from across North Simcoe to enjoy a traditional Oktoberfest-inspired experience while helping Rotary continue its work supporting local organizations and community programs. Guests will enjoy a light Oktoberfest-themed meal, beverages and live entertainment from Stir It Up, a popular local band known for getting audiences on their feet.

“Rotary is built on the idea of service above self, and this event is a fun way for our community to come together while making a difference for others,” said Don Cooper, President, Rotary Club of Penetanguishene. “Every ticket purchased helps support charitable projects and organizations that strengthen our community.”

The evening will feature traditional Oktoberfest fare, including sausage, sauerkraut, salad, and pretzels, along with beer, wine, and non-alcoholic refreshments available for purchase.

Tickets are $50 until September 15, $60 after September 15, and $70 at the door. Table sponsorships are also available for $1,000 (includes 8 VIP tickets).

The Rotary Club of Penetanguishene has a long history of supporting local needs through fundraising, volunteerism, and community partnerships. Proceeds from Oktoberfest will help Rotary continue investing in charitable initiatives – from food banks to high school school bursaries – that benefit residents throughout the region.

For tickets and event information, visit: https://portal.clubrunner.ca/218/Stories/oktoberfest-2026. 

The post Rotary Club Of Penetanguishene Invites Community To First Annual Oktoberfest For Local Charities appeared first on Muskoka411.

Lifelong Huntsville resident and former business owner Dan Caswell has
released his full action plan for Mayor of Huntsville. The plan is centred on responsible
spending, healthcare readiness, better infrastructure, strong core services, and a stronger voice for Huntsville at the District table.

The plan reflects a simple commitment: Putting Huntsville First. Caswell’s goal is to protect
what residents have built while planning responsibly for what comes next. His vision is for
Huntsville to remain safe, connected, healthy, and affordable for future generations.
Caswell said he would bring professional accountability and a purposeful approach to managing taxpayer dollars at Town Hall. He believes Huntsville must move beyond short-term budget fixes and begin planning thoughtfully for the community’s long-term future without placing an unnecessary burden on residents. Practical Budgeting and Real Accountability Caswell’s plan focuses on responsible, long-term financial management at the municipal level.

He is committing to:
• Creating a responsible budget that treats residents’ tax dollars with care, focuses on
what residents need, and ensures spending delivers real value for the community.
• Reviewing internal processes to reduce bottlenecks, improve efficiency, and help
projects move forward without unnecessary delays or added costs.
• Establishing a 10-year financial roadmap so Huntsville can prepare for major needs
instead of reacting from one budget year to the next.

Caswell noted that residents have experienced rising property taxes and special levies. He
believes they deserve confidence that their money is being managed carefully and that
municipal decisions are being made with Huntsville’s long-term future in mind.
Securing Huntsville’s Hospital Future Huntsville has a once-in-a-generation opportunity to help secure a new hospital. Caswell believes the Town must plan ahead for its required $10 million local share while continuing to protect the roads, trails, infrastructure, and services residents already rely on.

As Mayor, Caswell will:
• Establish the Huntsville Community Hospital Fund, a dedicated municipal fund
created to secure the Town’s required $10 million local share while complementing the
Huntsville Hospital Foundation’s Raise Muskoka campaign.
• Create an efficiency dividend that directs savings from improved processes, reduced
bottlenecks, controlled operational spending, and reduced service duplication at the
District level into the hospital fund.
• Protect emergency town reserves from being used for everyday operational expenses
and rebuild those reserves to healthy levels.
• Set clear financial milestones and establish a public dashboard so residents can track
Huntsville’s progress toward the $10 million goal.

Caswell said healthcare readiness is about more than a number in a municipal budget. It is
about ensuring that parents, spouses, children, neighbours, and friends can receive care close to home. He believes planning ahead now will help Huntsville remain prepared when that care matters most.

Roads, Trails, and Reliable Foundations
Roads, trails, sidewalks, parks, and public spaces are part of daily life for residents, workers, seniors, families, and visitors. Caswell’s plan focuses on practical improvements residents can see and experience while restoring the core standards and connections the community depends on.

As Mayor, Caswell will:
• Prioritize consistent, year-round road maintenance to keep streets safe, clean, and
dependable in every season.
• Keep trails, sidewalks, parks, and public spaces safe and accessible for residents of all
ages.
• Maintain the spaces that help define Huntsville’s identity and support active
transportation.
• Plan infrastructure responsibly so Huntsville can grow without losing its hometown
character or quality of life.

Caswell believes roads, trails, and public infrastructure are essential parts of everyday life. They include the roads residents use to get to work, the sidewalks seniors depend on, the trails families enjoy, and the fields where children practise and play. Residents deserve reliable infrastructure they can count on.

Huntsville’s Seat at the District Table
Caswell is also committing to stronger representation for Huntsville at the District level. His plan focuses on protecting local interests, respecting taxpayer dollars, and ensuring Huntsville has a meaningful role in regional decisions.

As Mayor, Caswell will:
• Work with the District to reduce service duplication and use tax dollars more efficiently.
• Build respectful partnerships with neighbouring municipalities to share the costs of major
projects and improve regional services.
• Put Huntsville first by ensuring local priorities are clearly represented.
• Help Huntsville lead important conversations and decisions instead of reacting to them
after the fact.

Caswell believes Huntsville should not be reacting from the sidelines. He wants the community to lead important conversations, work respectfully with regional partners, and ensure Huntsville’s priorities are properly represented.

Learn More and Get Involved
Residents are encouraged to learn more about Dan Caswell’s full action plan, follow campaign updates, and join the conversation about Huntsville’s future.

Visit the campaign website: caswellformayor.ca
Follow the campaign on Facebook: caswellformayor
Follow the campaign on Instagram: @caswellformayor

The post Dan Caswell Running For Mayor Of Huntsville appeared first on Muskoka411.

The Ontario government is expanding Ontario Corps by welcoming its latest partner Ontario Stone, Sand and Gravel Association (OSSGA) to leverage its members and construction equipment during an emergency. Through Ontario Corps, the province is delivering on its plan to protect Ontario by creating a network of partners and dedicated volunteers ready to respond to local emergencies and deploy critical resources at a moment’s notice.

The post Ontario Stone, Sand And Gravel Joins Ontario Corps During Bracebridge Announcement appeared first on Muskoka411.

Police are appealing for anyone with information in relation to the investigation or suspect to contact the Orillia OPP at 1-888-310-1122 and reference occurrence number E261208176. To remain anonymous, you may submit your tips through Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS) or online at www.crimestopperssdm.com.

The post Orillia OPP Looking For Tips After Aug. 21st Robbery appeared first on Muskoka411.

On Thursday, August 27, 2026, at approximately 3:24 p.m., OPP officers, with Paramedics and fire services, responded to reports of a collision involving a 2026 Hyundai Palisade on Highway 117 near Longline Lake Road in Lake of Bays.

As a result of the collision, the driver and four passengers were transported to a local hospital. A 36-year-old female, from Whitby, was subsequently airlifted by Ornge to a Toronto-area trauma centre, with serious, life altering injuries. Two other occupants sustained serious injuries, while two others suffered non-life-threatening injuries.

Highway 117 was closed for several hours as officers conducted their investigation.

The investigation is continuing and anyone who may have witnessed the collision is asked to contact the Huntsville OPP at 1-888-310-1122.

The post OPP Looking For Witnesses After Aug. 27th Collision On Hwy. 117 appeared first on Muskoka411.

On August 28th, 2026, at approximately 1:47 a.m., officers from the Huntsville OPP responded to a report of a break and enter at a business on Main Street East near Brunel Road in the Town of Huntsville.

Investigation determined that an unknown suspect gained entry to the business by breaking a window. Once inside, the suspect stole an undisclosed amount of cash before fleeing the scene.

Please see attached image of suspect. If anyone recognizes this person, please contact Huntsville OPP at 1-888-310-1122.

Police are asking anyone who may have witnessed the incident or has surveillance footage from the time of the occurrence to contact the Huntsville OPP, reference E261243406. Should you wish to remain anonymous, you may call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS) or submit information online at www.crimestopperssdm.com.

The post Image Of Suspect Released After Break And Enter In Huntsville appeared first on Muskoka411.

Not long after, the police came to Jeff’s door with the news that Scott and Leaira had been killed in a car accident, with Ryker having to be airlifted for emergency surgery due to his injuries. 

They had been hit by an impaired driver.

Now Jeff, who is a personal trainer and owner of Rusted Iron Fitness, is setting out on a 450+ km solo bike ride in support of MADD Canada while also honouring his brother and niece.

The ride will begin on September 9 at Brooks Falls in Emsdale, a place that holds special meaning from when Jeff and Scott were growing up. From there, Jeff will continue making his way towards Dorchester, where both brothers attended high school and where Jeff and his family called home before recently moving to Katrine, Ont.

On September 12, Jeff will complete his journey by riding through Dorchester’s Cornfest before continuing on to the cemetery where Scott is buried. 

“I use, and have always used, physical fitness and working out to help me through grief and anxiety,” Jeff said. “I always find some sort of healing through it.”

For Jeff, this ride is his way of honouring Scott and Leaira while raising funds for MADD Canada. It is also his way of continuing the conversation around the devastating and completely preventable consequences of impaired driving. 

While the family hopes to raise more than $10,000, the biggest goal of the ride is to bring awareness to just how much impaired driving can affect others.

If you would like to make a donation in support of the ride, you can do so here.

Additionally, Rusted Iron Fitness merchandise will be available for purchase at Dorchester’s Cornfest, with all proceeds supporting the fundraiser.

The post Local Man Cycling 450+ Km In Support Of MADD Canada appeared first on Muskoka411.

For David Crook, giving back has always been about taking care of the place that helped shape him.

“I’m a Barrie boy all the way,” he says. “There’s not a day that goes by when I’m not grateful to be from here.”

That connection to his community was at the heart of his transformational $1-million gift to Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre’s (RVH) Cardiac Care Unit, celebrated alongside long-time friends and leaders from RVH and RVH Foundation.

For David, philanthropy and the responsibility to support your community started at home.

His father, Leslie, served as a pilot with both the Royal Air Force and Royal Canadian Air Force during the Second World War and was shot down in 1941. While recovering in hospital, he met Gertrude Bertram, whom he would later marry. Growing up, David watched his parents make giving back a part of their lives. His father became deeply involved in the Masonic Lodge, and together his parents instilled in David a belief that supporting your community wasn’t something you did only when the opportunity arose. It was something you planned for.

“My parents taught me that giving back to your community was the right thing to do,” David says. “It should be part of your budget.”

It’s a lesson David has carried with him throughout his life.

He has supported RVH in various ways since 1985. In 2015, he made his first $1-million gift to help establish advanced cardiac care at RVH—care that thousands of patients from across the region have relied on since.

Now, as Simcoe Muskoka continues to grow, David is stepping forward again.

RVH’s two existing cardiac catheterization labs (cath labs) are operating at capacity as demand for advanced cardiac care continues to rise. When the program opened in 2018, space was set aside for a future third cath lab, anticipating the region’s growth and future cardiac care needs. That need is now here.

These specialized labs allow cardiac teams to perform minimally invasive, life-saving procedures, including rapidly locating and opening a blocked artery during a heart attack.

“Without another cath lab, patients will face longer waits and longer drives for care,” says Gail Hunt, President and CEO of RVH. “We’re incredibly grateful to David for seeing the need and stepping up for his community. His generosity brings us one step closer to ensuring more patients can receive this critical, life-saving care right here at home, when every minute matters.”

For David, right here at home carries particular meaning.

Years ago, while travelling in the United States, David suffered a heart attack. Far from Barrie, he went through treatment and the early stages of recovery without the family and friends he would normally have turned to for support.

“I know what it’s like to need cardiac care away from home,” he says. “I had to go through treatment and recovery alone. I never want anyone to experience what I did. Having your family and friends near you is so important to recovery.”

That experience shaped the way David thinks about access to healthcare. Advanced care close to home isn’t simply about avoiding a long drive. It means being surrounded by family, friends and community at a time when their presence can matter most.

“David understands something that is at the heart of what we’re working to build at RVH: people shouldn’t have to leave their community to access the advanced care they need,” says Pamela Ross, CEO of RVH Foundation. “His generosity means more patients can face some of the most difficult moments of their lives with their families, their friends, and their community close by. That is an extraordinary gift to this region.”

For someone who has spent a lifetime believing in the importance of community, David sees his latest gift as another way to take care of his.

“There’s a saying when you’ve had a heart attack: time is muscle,” he says. “If this gift means people don’t have to travel south for care and these services can continue to be offered locally, my gift will have done its job.” 

For this Barrie boy, that’s what giving back is all about.

The post From The Heart: David Crook Gives $1M To Advance Cardiac Care At RVH appeared first on Muskoka411.

“There’s something special about being on the water in the fall,” said Marie-France MacKinnon, Executive Director of NMMA Canada and Discover Boating Canada. “It’s a refreshing way to spend time with family and friends, enjoy the season at a slower pace and turn an ordinary day into an adventure. With resources from Discover Boating Canada, it’s also easier than many people may think to give fall boating a try.”

Discover Boating Canada, the go-to resource for all things boating, including expert tips, safety essentials and helpful tools, explores why boating belongs on your fall bucket list.

See fall colours from a fresh perspective. Vibrant reds, oranges and golds lining the shoreline and reflecting across the water create views that simply aren’t possible from the road. Pack a camera, warm apple cider and a cozy blanket for a picture-perfect day.

Enjoy quieter waterways. As summer vacations wind down and children return to school, launch ramps, marinas and popular destinations often become less crowded. Shorter waits and less congestion leave more room to cruise and enjoy the surroundings at a leisurely pace.

Soak up the crisp autumn air. Cooler temperatures can make time on the water especially refreshing. Because Canadian fall weather can change quickly, check the forecast before leaving the dock, dress in warm layers and continue monitoring conditions throughout the day.

Reel in fall fishing opportunities. For many anglers, cooler weather brings some of the year’s most anticipated fishing. Lakes, rivers and coastal waterways across Canada offer seasonal opportunities for anglers of all experience levels. Check applicable provincial or territorial fishing regulations before heading out.

Make the journey part of a fall getaway. Travelling by boat can turn a visit to a waterfront community, seasonal celebration or favourite dockside destination into a mini escape. Before departing, confirm docking availability and marina operating hours, which may change after the peak summer season.

Fall boating also calls for additional preparation. Check the weather and sunset time, share a float plan with someone on shore and ensure everyone has a properly fitted, Transport Canada-approved lifejacket or personal flotation device. Confirm that navigation lights, communications devices and essential safety equipment are working properly.

Don’t own a boat? Rentals and charters offer flexible ways to experience fall boating without a long-term commitment. Visit DiscoverBoating.ca to explore ways to get on the water, find nearby access points with the Marina Finder or discover the right type of boat with the Boat Selector. Be sure to tag @DiscoverBoatingCanada and share your fall boating adventures.

The post Canada’s Fall Colours Look Better From The Water: 5 Reasons To Extend Boating Season appeared first on Muskoka411.

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