Species at Risk Spotlight: Black Ash

no pre-registration required. Cost $5 ($3 for Pat Porter members). Please bring your own roller skates. Registration required at patporteralc.com.

Special events

Pat Porter Active Living Centre will be offer a LUNGtivity ™ series of classes. A low intensity community exercise program for individuals living with lung disease. The goals of the LUNGtivity ™ program are to:

- Reduce feelings of breathlessness during daily activities.

- Remain independent for as long as possible.

- Be active in a safe and accessible environment.

- Be supported in lung disease self-management.

LUNGtivity ™ is a continuation of the exercise portion of the Pulmonary Rehabilitation Program offered in Manitoba. Before starting this exercise program, you are not required to complete a Pulmonary Rehabilitation Program. However, it is strongly recommended either before participating in LUNGtivity ™ or at the same time as LUNGtivity ™.

This is the exercise program for you if you can: valentines Dinner & Dance: riday, Februrary 10 featuring “The Cracked Eggshell”. Doors open at 5 pm, dinner served at 5:30 pm and dance starts at 7 - 11 pm. Dinner/Dance tickets - $25 Members; $30 Non-members; Dance Only tick- ets - $20.

- Safely attend a community exercise class.

- Walk and transfer to a chair on your own or with a gait aide (cane/walker, etc.).

- Administer/change and manage your own oxygen (if you require oxygen).

- Have an emergency contact available during your exercise class for safety. For more information on upcoming classes, please contact Carrie at 204-320-4600.

Square Dancing Starts Tuesday, January 13 from 7:309:30 pm. Our Daily Program schedule will be growing to offer Square Dancing classes weekly. Cost $2 for members and $4 for non-members.

Painting Workshop

Tuesday, February 21, 1:30 – 4 pm. Cost $20 members/ $30 non-members. Led by local artist Doug Enns. All supplies included. This months painting features a nature scene. RSVP by calling 204-320-4600.

Book Reading

Monday, February 13, 12 – 1 pm. Relax and regale to stories told by local author Clint Toews as he reads from his book “Beyond the Mist: The Beauty of Brokenness in the Things We Cannot See”. Feel free to bring your own lunch or order ahead for lunch at the centre.

Pancake Breakfast

Thursday, February 23 from 9:30 – 11 am. Cost $8/person. Enjoy a stack of pancakes and 2 sausages. All proceeds going to the Steinbach Meals on Wheels Program.

Rentals

We have rooms of a variety of sizes and prices. For pricing and room, availability visit our website patporteralc.com, email rentals@patporteralc.com or call 204-3204600.

Meals on Wheels

A healthy, warm and delicious meal cooked fresh daily and delivered to your door. We have two Meals on Wheels programs running out of Steinbach and Grunthal. Meals may be purchased for $8 for delivery (residents of Steinbach and Grunthal) or pickup. A meal includes soup, a main dish, sides and dessert. Please call 204-320-4600 with any questions or to order a meal. To receive a same day meal, you must call before 9 am.

Steinbach’s Accessible Transit

Need a ride to an appointment or other errand? Steinbach Accessible transit can get you there! This service is available to residents of Steinbach. Please visit our website patporteralc.com for a full price list. Services are available Monday to Friday, from 9 am to 5 pm and every other weekend. To book a ride, call 204-326-4055. If your call is not answered, leave a message with the answering service. Appointments must be booked in advance to ensure availability.

Check out our Website for Programs & Events – patporteralc.com.

By Norm Gregoire

In the winter, most at-risk species in southeastern Manitoba have either migrated south or are hidden under deep snow. No matter how cold or how much snow we receive we can always rely on having the chance to observe at least one species at risk: the black ash tree.

If you are in search of black ash, good places to look would be undisturbed wetland areas near rivers, swamps, and fens. Here they can live 150 to 300 years. Black ash can also be found in urban settings, and this is where they can be misidentified as the non-native Manchurian ash. The bark of Manchurian ash has a more tan-coloured appearance compared to black ash which is greyer. All Manitoban ash trees have bark with a corky texture to it. Green ash is another native species in Manitoba that may cause some identifying issues. For me, the easiest way to make a proper identification is in the summer, where you can count the leaflets per leaf. Black ash usually has 7-11 and green ash usually has 5-7.

Although black ash are large trees, growing from 1525 meters tall, one of the biggest reasons the population is falling is because of an insect no bigger than a grain of rice: the emerald ash borer beetle. Where present, this non-native insect causes a more than ninety per cent mortality rate on trees. Across eastern North America, tens of millions of trees have already been lost due to this beetle and there are no signs of it slowing down.

The cycle between beetle and tree begins when the female ash borer beetle lays eggs on the bark of a tree. Once the eggs hatch the larvae bore into the tree bark to feed on these layers. They may stay here for up to two years before emerging as adults. When the adults leave through the tree they leave behind a “D” shaped exit hole. During this entire cycle the tunnels that the beetle leaves throughout the tree cut off water and nutrient supply for the tree, killing it in a matter of years.

The adults can fly short distances and then continue this process over again, but this is not the only way they spread. A common way for the emerald ash borer beetle to expand range is when humans move wood from one area to another. I believe most of us who have spent time in the outdoors- in Manitoba parks- have seen the signs warning not to move wood. It is up to us to follow these guidelines and work towards keeping this invasive beetle contained and our forests healthy.

In mid-January, a Ste. Anne student was named Dairy Farmers of Manitoba High School Athlete of the Week.

Jared Hiebert is with the Ste. Anne Lynx basketball team.

Hiebert is off to a great start this season. In the 5 games played recently, he averaged 24.8 points, 10 rebounds, 9 steals and 4 assists per game.

“Jared is the engine that drives our ship,” said Coach Kyle Hiebert. “Most players, high school players, or any player for that matter, are unable to play an entire game effectively without rest. Jared can.”

“He takes great care of his body, and he never quits making plays for us,” added Coach Hiebert. “He is an excellent defender and creates 10-15 extra possessions for us every night. Jared is a great teammate and makes all of the players around him better.”

In grade 12, Jared also maintains an 87% academic average. Throughout the year he also competes on the school volleyball, badminton, baseball, and track and field teams.