🔦 In This Issue of Kingston Spotlight
Events
Intro to Better Sleep: Stop staring at the ceiling and get some actual rest.
Community Pride
Miss Emily: Kingston's own blues queen lands her second Juno nomination.
Michelle Lawrence: Big wins for the founder of Elevate Collective.
EISS Concert Band: 14 students taking their music on the road to inspire the kids.
📅 Events
😴 Stop Counting Sheep Already: Intro to Better Sleep
Tuesday, February 10, 2026, from 12:00 pm to 1:00 pm - Virtual/Online
Is your coffee machine the only thing keeping you upright today? If you spend more time staring at the ceiling than actually dreaming, you should probably check this out.
Kingston Community Health Centres is hosting a free session called Intro to Better Sleep. They will help you figure out how to get some actual rest instead of just wishing for it at 3 AM. It is perfect for anyone tired of being, well, tired. Your grumpy morning self will definitely appreciate the help.
Check out the details and sign up here: https://kchc.ca/events/intro-to-better-sleep/
🔁 ICYMI: These Events Are Still Happening
👉 Spirit of Winter: Enchanted Now until February 28, 2026.
👉 Kingstonlicious Now until March 28, 2026.
🙌 Local Legends
💿 The Medicine is Working: Miss Emily's Juno Nod
Have you seen the billboard yet? If not, consider this your official invitation to freak out: Kingston’s own Miss Emily landed her second Juno nomination!
Her album The Medicine is officially up for Blues Album of the Year, and honestly, we’re not surprised—just incredibly proud. She has earned having her name up in lights next to legends like Colin Linden and Rob Baker (yep, the same Rob Baker from The Tragically Hip who co-wrote "Maybe").
I’m starting to think there’s actually something in the limestone water around here. Whatever it is, our home town legends keep crushing it on the world stage.
Go show her some love and check out the album over at TheMissEmily.com
(BTW, the billboard is north side of Bath Road just east of Portsmouth, close to Domino’s).
🚀 From Corporate Layoff to Branding Boss and Grant Winner with Michelle Lawrence (Elevate Collective)
Huge congrats are in order for Michelle Lawrence, founder of Elevate Collective! She recently snagged the Starter Company Plus grant from the Kingston Economic Development Corporation.
Michelle spent years in corporate marketing but never felt quite "right" until a layoff turned into a total blessing in disguise. Now, she’s helping local female founders build brands that don’t lead to total burnout.
The big takeaway? Your brand is way more than just a cute logo and some pretty colors. Michelle says the biggest mistakes she sees are:
Talking to everyone: (Pro tip: if you talk to everyone, you’re actually talking to no one).
Pretty but pointless design: A website should actually bring in business, not just look like a piece of art.
Want to level up your own graphics?
Michelle is hosting a Canva 101 Master Class on February 19th.
What: A 2-hour virtual deep dive into the basics (and the time-saving shortcuts).
When: After hours, so you can join even if you’re still rocking a 9-to-5.
Who: Perfect for you if you’re currently staring at Canva like it’s a foreign language.
You can also find Michelle on Instagram at @elevatecollective or check out her very strategic website here to see her magic in action!
🎷 More Than Just Band Practice: The EISS Concert Band
Region-wide School Tour (Amherstview, Fairfield, Bath, and Odessa)
Move over, stadium tours. The coolest ticket in town lately was a group of 14 students from Ernesttown Intermediate and Secondary School. These talented musicians took their show on the road to visit younger kids at schools in Amherstview, Fairfield, Bath, and Odessa to show them exactly why music matters.
For band member Sarai Gomez, the flute is more than just an instrument. She says it feels like home and has been there for her during all her hard moments.
The best part? This isn't a "have to" class project. Music teacher Andy Seguire says the band runs outside of standard school hours, meaning these students are there because they truly want to be. They even call the shots on what music they play. During the tour, they let the younger kids try their hand at conducting and even put the teachers to work on the cowbell and sleigh bells. It turns out that sharing a gift you love is the fastest way to make a whole community smile.
If you know a young person in our area who is doing something awesome, you can nominate them for a future segment by emailing [email protected].
🥨 Your friends called, they’re bored (fix that)
Stop them from doom-scrolling their life away. Forward this email and give them something real to do this week.
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