In the wake of the massive earthquake that struck Haiti on January 12, countries from all over the world have done all they can to support and provide help to the victims who are virtually left with nothing at all in the Caribbean nation.

Canada has organized a massive relief effort, and many of its cities and provinces are pitching in as much as they can.

In the City of Barrie, the local police force is also doing their part, and they’re presently collecting tents and other forms of shelter to be sent to the victims in Haiti.

A former provincial police officer who used to work with the United Nations and is now based in Barrie contacted local authorities by e-mail and urged them to look for ways to amass any type of shelter for the victims – many of whom are sleeping on the streets after their homes were ravaged by the 7.0 magnitude earthquake.

The tent event kicked off at 9 in the morning today. If you want to help, simply head to the south end of the Canadian Tire store.

Come the 5^th of February, all tents will be sent to the victims in Haiti.

One Barrie doctor is offering a health and fitness program that he says is “the key to the fountain of youth.”

But before you visualize some mythical item or whatnot in your mind, think again. Dr. Roger Turner, a chiropractor in the City of Barrie, says it’s as simple as finding the will to discipline one’s self.

Of course, it goes without saying that such a feat is easier said than done, especially when it has something to do with eating healthy foods, and living an active lifestyle. According to Dr. Turner, employing these measures is the easiest way to shed years off of one’s aging body.

The 63-year old chiropractor, who also owns Turner Wellness Centre in Barrie, comments that he’s in great shape despite being in his senior years. And while that may sound like a lot of hot air at first, the man backs it up by doing 60 push-ups a minute. That’s something most 20-year olds these days can’t’ even accomplish.

The doctor has recently developed a program aimed at helping men and women his age look younger by living the proper lifestyle, and eating the right food. Called Bootcamp for Boomers, the program is a four month course that Dr. Turner says will result in a new and better you.

And to get the ball rolling, the doctor will be holding a short symposium that gives interested individuals a peek into his program on the 27th of January, at 5:30 in the afternoon. Registration is ongoing, so give it a try if you want.

If you’re bored and looking for events in the City of Barrie to check out and kill the time, then we’ve got just what you need.

Here’s a list of what’s going on in Barrie today and over the next few days.

WORLD RELIGION DAY

Taking place tomorrow, World Religion Day will be celebrated at Barrie City Hall’s Rotunda area, at 1:30 in the afternoon.

This year’s theme is “a time of bright prospects”, with those in attendance joining in prayer and learning more about the world’s many religions. A special guest speaker will be presenting an address to the public.

JOURNALING PROGRAM

Taking place today, creativity guru Anita Bol will be hosting an art journaling program, which starts at 5 this afternoon. Bol will be teaching new journaling methods with different types of media. This includes painting, layered composition, collage, and more.

Those interested in joining the program are requested to don used clothing, since things will get “messy”. Course fee, which includes the materials needed, is pegged at $20.

PHOTO COURSE FOR TEENS

The Barrie Public Library will be hosting a one-day photography course, aimed at youths aged 13 to 19. If you’re an aspiring photographer, this program is for you.

Registration fee is $20.

The seminar runs from 1 to 5 in the afternoon.

Barrie’s free clothing centre was seemingly on the verge of closing down after inadequate space in its first home forced them to close shop. However, things have begun to look up as the centre has now found a new place to call home – they’ve even started the year under a new name.

Now known as Nifty Thrifty & Barrie Free Clothing Centre, it is now located in the downtown area. With a larger store space to better suit its team of volunteers, Nifty Thrifty looks to start the year strong after a short hiatus.

According to head volunteer Valerie Scrivner, the clothing centre’s new location is everything she could’ve hoped for, and more. Its accessible location is perfect for residents who want to drop off donations, she said.

The clothing centre will officially be operational on its grand-opening which takes place on January 16, from 1 to 3 in the afternoon. They’ve been open for a few days now, giving them ample time to adjust to the location and store space.

What used to be a small portable is now a space that houses seven spacious rooms, each containing different types of clothes for kids, men, and women.

Nifty Thrifty is one of Living Green Barrie’s charitable arms.

Dr. Richard Goudie, a Barrie specialist in sports medicine, is one of the lucky docs who will get a free pass to the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics by being part of the Canadian Olympic Team’s Health Care and Science Squad.

For Dr. Goudie, who also dabbles in sports photography whenever he gets the chance to do so, watching the Olympics in the flesh is a dream come true. The doctor excitedly comments that his camera is up for some hard work next month, when the Winter Games officially kick off.

The 40-year-old doctor is an avid fan of Canada’s hockey team, and he hopes to be able to watch Team Canada win a gold medal.

And even if that doesn’t happen, Goudie is just proud to be among the 60 Canadians chosen to be part of what’s dubbed by some as the “health squad”.

The Health Care and Science team is comprised of experts in the world of medicine and health. Applicants for the various positions were selected last year. They will be largely responsible for each athlete’s health during the Games. Each country that takes parts in the Olympics is allowed to bring its own staff of doctors and medical experts.

As if to mark the end of the New Year’s celebrations, the City of Barrie was hit by a bitter blast of cold yesterday.

Many residents in the region were forced to stay indoors, as weather officials announced snow squall warnings that lasted throughout the entire day. Indeed, a peek outside showed nothing but white snow everywhere.

Many of those stuck outdoors were forced to seek refuge in Barrie’s Salvation Army men’s shelter. For the city’s homeless, the shelter was a place of warmth (both literally and figuratively) and safety. Had it not been for the organization’s services, many of Barrie’s less fortunate would have been forced to tough it out in the cold.

According to Sheldon, one of the shelter’s workers, December has been particularly tough on the Salvation Army. Aside from trying to accommodate everyone in the packed shelter, the organization was also busy putting up charitable events for the holiday.

Environment Canada notes that around 15 centimeters of snow were recorded yesterday. Another 10 centimeters fell overnight.

The good news however, is that things are predicted tobetter by Monday, that’s according to Environment Canada meteorologist, Louis Allard.

He expects things to go back to normal by the start of the week.

The celebrations brought about by the arrival of the New Year may have beckoned for Barrie’s residents to flock to the streets, but for some, it was business as usual.

For Barrie’s finest in particular, the New Year’s Eve is a time of heightened alert and security. After all, a gathering of large crowds can also mean one thing – Trouble.

Barrie’s police officers were up to their necks in phone calls requesting service and help. Some seven individuals were apprehended for causing public disturbance by starting fights in the city’s downtown district in the middle of the festivities.

In a convenience store in the same area, a man passed out in the store room. He was arrested for being intoxicated in public. After searching the man, authorities found marijuana and an assortment of medical drugs on him. Turns out, he had just violated his probation.

Another police officer from Barrie was hurt in an accident when his cruiser was hit by an alcohol-impaired driver in the early morning of New Year’s Day. Fortunately, the patrolling officer’s injuries were mostly minor. He was immediately brought to Royal Victoria Hospital for medical treatment. The impaired driver, a 21-year-old woman from Barrie, was arrested and brought to jail.

All this is a testament to the fact that Barrie’s police force is guaranteed to be on the job, no matter what the occasion.

Breckyn John Casey Blowes may have come to the City of Barrie one week late, but he certainly did it in style, being the city’s first official baby of 2010.

That’s right; Breckyn was born at exactly 4:29 in the morning of January 1st, at Barrie’s Royal Victoria Hospital.

The family chose the name Breckyn, which apparently means freckled, as a nod to the family patriarch Ryan Blowes, who has freckles.

The family’s doctor expected the baby to arrive on December 25th, Christmas Day, but for some reason was delayed for a week, finally coming out on Friday morning.

Ryan recalls celebrating the arrival of the New Year quietly while watching the move The Perfect Getaway, when his wife, Tanya Jones’ water broke.

With one thing leading to the other, little Breckyn became 16-month-old Shailah’s new baby brother.

Breckyn is a bouncing healthy boy who weighed in at nine pounds, two ounces, and measured in at 22-and-a-half inches.

Right now, the Blowes family hopes that baby Breckyn takes after his sister in one important way.

Ryan crosses his fingers that Breckyn sleeps through his first night home, just like his sister Shailah. In any case, they’re just happy their new baby is healthy.

One look from their new pet was all it took for the Wiggins family to know she was the perfect Holiday addition to their home.

On a visit to PetSmart Barrie 2 months ago, Bill and Vivian Wiggins found Calli, a five-month-old kitten who they instantly knew was meant for their homes the moment they locked eyes with her.

Bill Wiggins remembers seeing Calli looking at them intently from the bottommost cage on that faithful day. He and Vivian were at PerSmart to have their other cat, Brie, groomed.

Vivian immediately noticed the feline and came to stroke Calli’s head, saying, ‘’She’s just so sweet and so affectionate, should we adopt her?” A short discussion ensued, leading them to bring home the cat.

Little did they know that they had just helped in setting a milestone by adopting the tabby/calico mix. By bringing home the feline, they had just set PetSmart Canada’s 100,000th pet adoption.

According to Kim Noetzel, PetSmart Charities’ spokeswoman, each year, over 400,000 unwanted animals are put to sleep. It’s the organization’s goal to bring down those numbers, and with the Wiggins’ 100,000th adoption, she hopes the milestone raises awareness of the sad fate that awaits unwanted pets.

The Wiggins family received a life-time supply of Authority cat food, a cat scratching post, a pet play station, and a large quantity of pet treats, all to make sure Calli enjoys her new home to the fullest.