Kawartha Lakes, Ontario – Teaming up with Kawartha Lakes Pride to help foster a community of belonging in Kawartha Lakes is one way Ampere is demonstrating their commitment to supporting STEAM for everyone.
At a time when members of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community continue to face persecution for who they are and who they love, the efforts of Kawartha Lakes Pride deserve recognition and appreciation.
“Kawartha Lakes Pride strives to be a beacon of hope for 2SLGBTQIA+ people in our local community. Small town Pride is a special kind of acceptance, when we often face backlash and hate for being our authentic selves,” says Rylee Hynes, co-chair of Kawartha Lakes Pride, which is celebrating its 11th year in 2026.
“We work to create safe spaces that encourage a love for all.”
Kawartha Lakes Pride started in 2015 and over the years has grown and evolved. Now in its 11th year, the 2026 Pride Week line-up includes community events through Lindsay and Fenelon Falls, offering something for folks across the region.
Ampere is a proud partner of Kawartha Lakes Pride with staff looking forward to attending as many events as possible throughout the week, including returning to Pride in the Park on Saturday, July 11 at Victoria Park in Lindsay.
Running from 11 am to 3 pm, Pride in the Park brings together community groups, organizations, businesses and drag royalty in celebration of love for all. It’s a chance to engage with inclusive service providers, learn about what Kawartha Lakes has to offer and connect with friends new and old. At the Ampere booth, it’s a chance for attendees to have some hands-on, colourful, STEAM-based experiments and activities, knowing they’re welcome and accepted regardless of who they are.
“Pride in the Park could be someone’s first time being unapologetically themselves in public and we want to do everything we can to make that a positive experience for them,” says Jamie Steel, Senior Lead of Community Relations for Ampere.
“Kawartha Lakes Pride does such a wonderful job of setting the tone, helping people feel safe and welcome at all their events. From an Ampere perspective, we want folks to know that they are supported and encouraged to be themselves, unapologetically, with us, at this event and in our programming at the Makerspace.”
The partnership between Ampere and Kawartha Lakes Pride was born from the shared belief that people should feel like they belong.
“Our dynamic with Ampere began because their staff made a point of arriving at every event we planned, explaining what they do and together we have built a phenomenal partnership with goals that align with each of our respective missions,” says Hynes.
“Over the years they’ve grown their support of us by sharing their space with us to host events, sponsoring our Pride Week and going above and beyond to make sure Pride always has a space and the means to be a community resource.”
Ampere’s beginnings were built on the belief that belonging is the heart of everything the organization does. It is more than a sentiment, it is a shared truth and a sacred space where people see themselves reflected in the organization’s work, in community, and in the possibilities nurtured together.
Belonging is not an outcome, it is who Ampere is. It is a quiet yet powerful force that connects us together to create spaces where belonging thrives, where communities feel empowered, and every individual can find their place just as they are.
That’s why partnerships like the one with Kawartha Lakes Pride matter. When organizations unite in their efforts to create spaces of belonging, the entire community benefits as more and more people can focus less on fitting in and more on their potential, passion and power.
