A Kasshabog Lake Love Story
Jennifer and Parker grew up in Toronto’s Beaches neighbourhood but never met—until the summer of 2010 at the Kasshabog Lake Regatta. Their parents noticed matching area codes while signing them up for swim races, sparking a conversation that revealed they lived just blocks apart. Introduced that day, both won their races, and Parker was instantly smitten.
Summers at Kasshabog became filled with tubing, cliff jumping, and ice cream runs. Though they followed separate paths through high school and university, their connection lingered.
In 2020, during the pandemic, Jennifer returned from Uganda in East Africa and messaged Parker. They reconnected at the lake, spending afternoons floating and talking. Their first date—tennis—ended with Parker getting stitches, but their bond only grew stronger.
Despite an eight-hour time difference, they maintained a long-distance relationship across continents. Parker later visited Jennifer in Uganda, where they shared unforgettable adventures—safaris, riverboat rides, and jungle treks with gorillas and chimpanzees. Their love deepened.
Jennifer’s work took her to Senegal in West Africa, and Parker joined her for more travel with safaris and scuba diving. When she moved to London for her master’s degree, Parker visited often. Together, they explored Europe—surfing in Portugal, diving in Malta, tracing family roots in Poland.
After graduation, Jennifer moved back to Toronto to live with Parker. Their journey continued, filled with shared adventures and love.
In May 2025, back at Kasshabog Lake, Parker proposed during a quiet boat ride. Jennifer said yes—at the very place their story began.
They now look forward to celebrating with friends and family, sharing the joy of Canadian cottage life in the Kawarthas, surrounded by pines, lake views, and the sounds of nature.
The Lees Family Cottage Story
After World War II, the Canadian government began selling remote Crown Land—plots accessible only by rugged trails and without electricity. In the early 1950s, Ken Lees (Parker’s grandfather), a trucking business owner in Port Hope, and his father, Dick Lees, were asked by friends to deliver lumber to their future cottages on Kasshabog Lake. The journey was arduous, cutting through dense forest to reach the lake. But when Ken arrived, he was captivated by its untouched beauty and vowed to one day own a cottage there.
Soon after, Ken and his wife Joyce, with children Catherine and Richard, began camping at Kasshabog. A favourite ritual was stopping at the Twin Lakes store (now Kawartha Adventure Resort) for blocks of ice—then racing to the campsite before they melted. While camping at Half Moon Bay (now home to the regatta), Ken spotted a “For Sale” sign near the Kasshabog Lake Community Library. In 1961, the Lees family purchased the property: a modest two-bedroom cabin with a coal-wood stove, hidden deep in the forest and without a lake view.
In 1974, the original cabin was dismantled and moved to Oak Lake, replaced by a larger, insulated cottage with electricity, running water, and a septic system—transforming it into a year-round retreat. In 1995, Ken’s grandson Parker Lees was born and introduced to Kasshabog Lake, continuing the family’s love for the area into its fourth generation.
Today, the Lees cottage remains a cherished gathering place for family and friends—a sanctuary rooted in respect for nature and the enduring beauty of Kasshabog Lake.
The Henderfest Cottage Story
It all began when Jennifer’s Nana, Lou, wanted her 60th birthday to be a truly special family celebration. The family discovered the Irwin Inn, a charming resort on the southeast side of Stoney Lake, and had such a wonderful time that it became an annual tradition for several late-September weekends. Uncle Peter christened the event “Henderfest”.
When Aunt Jane and Uncle Mike started renting a cottage on Belmont Lake for consecutive summers, other family members joined in, turning it into a shared experience. This sailing family quickly realised that cottaging offered the same joy of being near the water—plus plenty of time together. Soon, the hunt for a place of their own began, and in late summer 2005, they found their cottage on Lake Kasshabog. Naturally, it became Henderfest Cottage.
At first, it was modest—people even slept on the kitchen floor during that first weekend. The Hendersons embraced it wholeheartedly, adding small improvements like bunkies and a screened sun porch before moving on to major renovations, including winterising. Today, there’s a bed for everyone during long weekends, accommodating 14+ family members and three dogs.
Twenty years later, the cottage remains the heart of family life. Six cousins grew up here—building forts, making bonfires, watching movies in the “crib”, tubing, jumping off rocks, and finishing the day with ice cream. The sounds of Henderfest Cottage are unmistakable: loons calling across the lake, bottles clinking in the recycling, dogs barking, and laughter echoing through the trees.
The cottage has been a true gift—a place where three generations come together to create traditions, share stories and meals, and most importantly, slow down, recharge, and reconnect. Lake Kasshabog isn’t just a destination; it’s part of the Henderson family’s soul.