Dawson Trail Dispatch
Celebrating Over 20 Years of Service to Our Communities!
Vita Students Collect Tabs By Marianne Curtis The students at Shevchenko School in Vita are being recognized for their recent donation to “Tabs for Wheelchairs”. “The students from Vita school provided us with approximately 720,000 Tabs,” said Barrow. He went on to say that this donation was the largest donation the group has ever received all at once. “The overall response from the public has been remarkable.” This year’s tabs are being collected for Delaney Kolowca of Lorette. Delaney was born with Gorlin syndrome, which is a genetic condition that can affect many areas of the body. In the summer of 2014, she began to have difficulty in walking because of scoliosis. She had surgery on November 10, 2014, and was given a 75% success rate. Unfortunately, the worst scenario happened and as a result of the operation, she became paralyzed from the mid chest down. She will presented with her new chair in June. For the past eighteen years, Tabs for Wheelchairs has collected tabs, and used the money raised from the sale of the metal to purchase wheelchairs for people who require the specialized equipment. A standard sports wheelchair costs $6,000 or 14 million tabs and specialized chair that allows for elevation, costs $10,000 or 24 million tabs. The public can still get involved by dropping tabs off at various schools in La Broquerie, St. Adolphe, Niverville, Ste. Anne and Ile des Chenes. Tabs can also be brought directly to the Pat Porter Centre in Steinbach. The students at the Shevchenko School in Vita collected about 720,000 tabs for “Tabs for Wheelchairs”.
April 2017
Ste. Anne Well Represented at Women’s Hockey Championship By Marianne Curtis Ste. Anne’s Bailey Bram and Jocelyne Larocque along with Halli Krzyzaniak from Neepawa are representing Manitoba at the 2017 Women’s World Ice Hockey Championships. Twenty-three players have been selected to represent Team Canada on a roster that was hand picked by head coach Laura Schuler alongside Melody Davidson, Hockey Canada’s General Manager of national women’s team programs. “This is a determined group of players that have been chosen to wear the red-and-white on the international stage,” said Schuler in a written statement. “As our evaluation process continues to lead into the selection of our Olympic centralization roster later this year, we’re confident this group will make Canada proud in Plymouth and we’re looking forward to building on our successes from the 2016-17 season.” The Championships began March 31 with Canada facing the US in a game that ended with Canada failing to score. The final tally was 2-0 for the US. Larocque was on Team Canada in the December Series against the US. Bram and Larocque won silver medals at the 2016 World Championship and Larocque won a gold medal with Canada’s National Women’s Team at the 2014 Olympic Winter Games in Sochi, Russia. After facing the US in the opener, Canada will meet Finland (April 1) and Russia (April 3) in the preliminary round. The 2017 IIHF Women’s World Championship is the 18th since the tournament’s 1990 inception. Canada’s National Women’s Team has appeared in every world championship gold-medal game and successfully won 10 gold medals and 7 silver. The event failed to start without a hitch after the US team threatened to boycott the event due to financial demands. A last minute deal was made before the opening of the games.
April 2017
Celebrating Over 20 Years of Service to Our Communities!
Dawson Trail Dispatch
Health Minister Tours Niverville Clinic Site
Founder of the Niverville Primary Health Team Dr. Chris Burnett (left), Minister of Health Kelvin Goertzen and Niverville Heritage Board member Gord Daman (right) take a tour of the Open Health Niverville, which is currently under construction in the community. Photo by Marianne Curtis
By Marianne Curtis On March 27, Minister of Health Kelvin Goertzen, along with members of the Southern Health Board of Directors took a tour of what will be a new 5,000 square foot medical clinic being built in the community. Currently under construction, Open Health Niverville is located on the ground floor of the Niverville Holding’s life lease project. The project is a partnership between the Niverville Heritage Centre, Niverville Medical Clinic, the Town of Niverville, Southern Health – Sante Sud and Manitoba Health. The goal of the new primary care access centre is to create a single access point to appropriate health care services for the community and the region. The long-term plan is to move towards 24-hour access, 7 days a week. Dr. Chris Burnett, one of the founders of the Niverville Primary Health Care Team said the new clinic was driven by the need for more space so the community can attract more doctors in the future. “We are hoping to get doctors to do a few shifts in the mornings, a few mornings of the week,” Bur-
nette explained. “Some might even want to do evenings.” While not all of the services may not be available 24hours the hope would be to move towards extended hour accessibility. Niverville Mayor Myron Dyck said the Town is creating a task force that will take the facility into that future. “We are realizing that Niverville is not just Niverville anymore, we have to think regionally,” said Dyck. “We as a town need to do our part to keep this facility and sustain it.” Niverville Heritage Centre Board spokesperson Gordon Daman said the new clinic is expected to bring practitioners together. “From nurse practitioners to doctors, and mental health care workers; this clinic will bring them all together as a one-stop shop for healthcare in the community of Niverville,” Daman explained. Services available at Open Health Niverville include access to primary care clinicians, such as physicians, nurse practitioners or physician assistants. It will also include access to the primary health care nurse, lab services, chronic disease team, public health, Family First program and Mental Health services. Over the next five years, funds raised at the annual Heritage Centre Gala will go towards the centre’s interior finishing. The cost is estimated to be $500,000. This year’s gala raised just over $50,000.
Dawson Trail Dispatch
Celebrating Over 20 Years of Service to Our Communities!
Chamber of Commerce Partnership Promotes Local Business By Marianne Curtis On March 15, over two dozen business owners from the Ritchot Regional Chamber of Commerce and Niverville Chamber of Commerce met in Ile des Chenes for the second in a series of networking sessions. The network event as part of the “Open for Business” series took place at Adventure Power Products. Ritchot Regional Chamber of Commerce President Larry Niebel attended the event. “Events like this are huge for companies because a lot of companies that are open don’t necessarily deal directly with the public and people don’t get to see the inside of that business and the workings of that business,” Niebel explained. “The other thing I found very interesting with all these open for business events is all the background of how these businesses got started Who’s involved with them and how they ended up being where they are today.” Those in attendance were treated to a rare behind the scenes look at the local business. Owned by Derek Roth, Frank Cicco and Ron Skrubutoan, Adventure Power Products entered the power sports industry in 2007 and six years ago, they opened in Ile des Chenes. “As a Business owner, it gives
you the ability to network with surrounding businesses and really tell your story, where you never have the opportunity to do so during your regular business hours,” said Roth. “The ability to host an event like this, fosters working relationships in a much quicker fashion, it fast tracks potential business partnerships or involvements that can normally take months or even years to put together.” The “Open For Business” Series is a joint endeavor between the Ritchot Chamber of Commerce and Niverville Chamber of Commerce.
The first event took place last month in Niverville. “It has been a pleasure working with the Niverville Chamber of Commerce; they’ve been around for a while so it has been beneficial to us to share ideas and get to know their members,” Niebel added. “Working with another community and another organization such as the Niverville Chamber of Commerce opens our business up to even more exposure and we all are in the same general area so it only makes sense to work together on different events.”
Former Town of Ste. Anne Administrator Honoured By Marianne Curtis On March 20, Nicole Champagne, former Chief Administrative Officer of the Town of Ste. Anne was presented with the Prix Ronald-Duhamel – Ronald Duhamel Award. Champagne who served as the Town of Ste. Anne Administer from 2005 to 2016 was recognized for her remarkable track record and significant contributions including normalizing municipal services in French for the benefit of the citizens of Ste. Anne. According to her nomination, Champagne played a key role in introducing French-language communication tools and official documents to the Town of Ste. Anne in order to reach the Francophone population. She made planning and delivery of French-language services a priority to meet the needs of the community while remaining committed to creating a bilingual working environment that fostered greater use of French among municipal staff. “Ms. Champagne is certainly an ambassador for Manitoba’s Francophone community,” commented Daniel Boucher, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Société Franco-Manitobaine. “Her efforts and perseverance have resulted in a bilingual working environment where Francophones and Anglophones complement each other, thereby providing to the town’s
Lorette residents and users of the local recreation centre are outraged by the RM of Tache’s decision to take over operations of the Complexe Communautaire de Lorette Community Complex (CCLCC). The issue surfaced last month when Mayor Robert Rivard received notice that the entire volunteer board of directors planned to resign. “The board has dissolved the corporation before we could take over operations of the complex,” Rivard told media. “We have to take over the bills and accounts as quickly as possible.” The Complexe Communautaire de Lorette Community Complex (CCLCC) is owned by the RM of Tache, and until now has operated under the direction of a volunteer board of directors. Year round programming available at the complex is also organized and run by local volunteers. The issue started because of a discussion at the RM of Tache Council meeting about an incident at the Lorette winter carnival. The hot water system went down and during discussions on the issue; other allegations such as the facility may be too much for volunteers and a contract employee to manage. When the comments hit media, the board reacted accordingly by quitting. “Board members felt they weren’t treated well, they were upset and that is why they all quit,” confirmed Rivard. The facility supervisor’s contact ends at the end of April, and Council decided to replace him with a municipal employee instead of a contract staff member. “Whoever we hire will be able to hire who they need, but they will report to the CAO
instead of the arena board,” Rivard confirmed. The decision comes with a $26,000 cost increase over hiring a contract employee. The RM of Tache Council plans on replacing the arena board with an advisory committee comprised with representatives from various user groups, two municipal council members and the community at large. Meanwhile, the community is outraged. “This council has lost touch with its base and clearly is not involved in the town of Lorette. This town has amazing volunteers that are responsible for so much that we have,” said Terry Sun Dell. “What projects has the RM been responsible for? Splash pad? Nope. That was CCLCC. Skatepark? Nope. That was a coalition of groups, including Family Fun Group with some RM support. Organized soccer? Nope.” Tache Councillor Steve Stein issued a public apology to the board and faculty manager. “I can only say firstly there are more than a couple comments here taken out of context. That being [the comments] cannot be taken back. I know our Mayor has apologized to the Board, but I feel it’s my duty to make it known. There was no intent to slander, or place blame on anyone,” Stein wrote in a public statement. “I would like to personally apologize to Colleen Jolicoeur, Bill Lodge, John Halabiski, Lori Turski, Alison Fox, Michael Berezay and Lisa Hrynchuk. Your group has done amazing things over the last 6 years I’ve been on council, and I am proud to have you working towards a better future for the CCLCC. I would also pass this same apology to the facility manager Greg Ewasko, as there was no belief by council that you weren’t doing a good job. In fact, it was my belief that you were doing excellent work.”
Infrastructure Renewal Projects Approved in Local Schools Former Town of Ste. Anne administer Nicole Champagne (left) with the Prix Ronald-Duhamel – Ronald Duhamel Award.
residents an office that is better equipped to meet the needs of its clientele.” The Prix Ronald-Duhamel – Ronald Duhamel Award is a joint initiative of the Société Franco-manitobaine (SFM), Manitoba’s Federal Network of Official Languages, the Manitoba Francophone Affairs Secretariat, and the Manitoba Association of Bilingual Municipalities (AMBM). It was created to recognize an employee or a group of employees of a governmental or quasigovernmental body at the federal, provincial or municipal level for
distinguished service to Manitoba’s Francophone community. Officially launched in March 2005, the Award was named in honour of Ronald Duhamel and his significant contributions, first as a senior public servant in the Government of Manitoba and then as a Federal MP, minister and senator. During his career, he promoted the cultural, educational, economic and political development of the Franco-Manitoban community. He also supported a number of minority Francophone community initiatives at the national level.
Lorette Arena Board Quits; Tache Takes Over Management By Marianne Curtis
Business owners from both the Ritchot Regional Chamber of Commerce and the Niverville Chamber of Commerce gather at a networking event designed to promote working together as a business community.
April 2017
Infrastructure renewal projects in the Seine River, Division Scolaire Franco-Manitobaine (DFSM) DSFM and Hanover School Divisions have made the list with the province’s recently approved 72 projects as part of a $44 million investment in health and safety in Manitoba schools. “The health and safety of Manitoba students and educators must be prioritized,” said Education and Training Minister Ian Wishart. “These necessary upgrades and repairs to existing facilities will ensure that Manitoba schools are maintained and renewed in order to provide our students with the best possible learning environments.” The projects announced include necessary health and safety-related infrastructure upgrades to roofing, mechanical systems and accessibility, including $11.3 million for roof replacements; $14.4 million for mechanical system replacements; $10.3 million for structural projects and $8.8 million for access projects. Among the projects is a boiler replacement in Seine River SD at the Ecole Lorette Immersion; a new grooming room at the Ecole Lagimodiere in DSFM and installation of an Access Lift at the Steinbach Regional Secondary School within the Hanover SD. The approved projects will be completed within a time frame of six to 24 months following the award of tenders and start of construction.
April 2017
McHale Makes Bid for Manitoba NDP Leadership On March 10, Steinbach’s Michelle McHale became the first candidate to announce her plan to run for the Manitoba NDP leadership. If elected, McHale has promised to unify a party that has been divided since 2014, when former Premier Greg Selinger survived an internal party revolt. McHale told about 50 supporters, she has been listening to party members who want an end to the division and a renewed focus on social justice and other core principles. She admitted that without previous political experience, she will have a steep learning curve, but she is up for the challenge. “So many shared angrily, and with profound sadness, that you can no longer see yourself and your own guiding principles reflected back to you in this party. And almost all of them have shared that the party that they once knew, loved and believed in is unrecognizable,” McHale told supporters. She added that not being involved with the issues until now could be an asset despite her inexperience. A former mental health services coordinator, McHale gained national prominence last year when she organized Steinbach’s first Pride Parade. She also took on Hanover School Division after alleging that her children were being bullied in local schools for having two moms. The NDP will select a new leader in September.
Celebrating Over 20 Years of Service to Our Communities!
Dawson Trail Dispatch
Liberal Budget is a Plan to Nickel-and-Dime Canadians During the 2015 federal election campaign, the Liberals repeatedly promised they would run deficits no greater than $10-billion a year, and would balance the budget by 2019, in time for the next election. Rising Deficits and Debt: While it comes as no big surprise, Budget 2017 again confirms that the Prime Minister broke his promise. The deficit will come in at approximately $28.5 billion this year and we will continue to see rising deficits with absolutely no promise of a return to balanced budgets. Farmers and Rural Canadians Ignored: Prime Minister Trudeau clearly does not understand rural Canadians. Budget 2017 confirms this because it does nothing to support our hardworking Canadian farmers. While there was some new funding for innovation, the government seemed to use this budget to simply issue a challenge to farmers and processors. The challenge? Grow your agri-food exports from $50 Billion to $75 Billion annually by the year 2025. However, the Liberals failed to provide any details regarding the next agricultural policy framework that farmers will be working within. The Liberals have literally left Canadian farmers in the dark. There was also nothing new in this budget to help farmers deal with the growing labour crisis that is currently severely affecting their ability to grow their industry.
The Liberals are promising to launch a full review of rail service in Western Canada, but farmers are getting tired of waiting. They need dependable rail service to get their crops to market. Eliminating Canada Savings Bonds: The budget also missed the mark by ending the Canada Savings Bond program. Instead of eliminating it, the Trudeau Government should have revamped it to allow regular Canadians to participate in the new Canadian Infrastructure Bank. This could have allowed regular middleclass Canadians to participate in growing Canada’s infrastructure while enjoying a stable rate of return on their investments. Seniors: Since the Federal Liberals took office in 2015, they have ignored the unique and growing needs of Canadian Seniors. Several features in the Budget will hurt Canadian seniors, including: - Scrapping the Public Transit Tax Credit - Eliminating the Family Caregiver Tax Credit - The Prime Minister’s refusal to appoint a Minister for Seniors Budget 2017 contained little more than buzz-words and repackaged ideas. Catch-all policies with the word “senior” stamped on them are not enough to address the very real needs of our aging population. Jobs Disappearing for Young Ca-
nadians: As far as young Canadians are concerned, those between the ages of 15 - 24 lost a combined 42,000 full time jobs last year. Again, instead of raising taxes, Justin Trudeau should focus on supporting policies that will create jobs for young Canadians. Sadly, Liberal programs won’t help the vast majority of Canadian workers and businesses who now face much more intense competition from a low-cost, low-tax United States. Conservatives will continue to be the voice of the taxpayer and we will not stay silent while Justin Trudeau nickel-and-dimes Canadians to death and forces our children and grandchildren to be burdened with paying off our country’s massive debt caused by his reckless spending habits. Justin Trudeau’s mishandling of the illegal migrant situation: Canada is a generous and accepting country and our immigration system reflects that. However, we also need to protect the integrity of our border. We must always consider our national security and do our due diligence to make sure we know who is entering our country, where they are entering and why. Several weeks ago, while illegal migrants were crossing the border in record numbers, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau tweeted a message of “welcome to Canada”. This created a great deal of confusion regarding where he stands on the issue of illegal border crossings. He followed
that up two weeks ago with another tweet saying, “Regardless of who you are or where you come from, there’s always a place for you in Canada.” Mr. Trudeau is not only unwilling to condemn these illegal border crossings, he now appears to be openly encouraging it. As with any problem, it cannot be solved until the person with the power to fix it actually admits that the problem exists in the first place. Several of the Conservative leadership candidates are attempting to get the discussion moving on this issue, proposing ideas for Canadians to debate publicly. The Liberals, however, are unwilling to put forward any possible solutions or even debate this in the House of Commons. The Liberal Government has all of the resources but none of the ideas. Their only promise to Canadians is that they will “monitor” the situation. The residents living along the border and the thousands of people patiently waiting to come to this great country of ours expect our leaders to ensure that Canada preserves a secure border and a consistent and fair system for all those seeking to make Canada their new home. For more information on this or other issues, please feel free to contact my office toll free at 1-866-3331933 or at 204-326-9889. You may also write my office at 76 PTH 12 N, Steinbach, MB R5G 1T4, e-mail me at ted.falk.c1@parl.gc.ca or visit my website at tedfalk.ca.
The Anatomy of Two Cash Injections The first cash injection is $200 million courtesy of the Federal and Ontario governments, which will ensure the life span of the Ford plant in Windsor Ontario, and in this case, the Ford Co. is participating to the tune of $800 million. Beside the help for Windsor, a research facility will open in Ottawa called Powertrain and Engineering Research and Development Centre. The power train of cars will be changing dramatically in the near future. Think, self-diving cars. A research centre could produce and sell fast changing driving technology to say nothing of fast changing green technology to worldwide car companies. Owning such a centre would produce good jobs for a long time. This injection of cash to Ford is treated as a loan by the Federal Government. How this will play out is yet to be seen but there was a time not long ago when GM and Chrysler paid back their own loans. So hope springs eternal.
There are those who will say let the market forces decide but when the American Government is investing larger amounts in the state of Michigan and Mexico has comparable incentives for their very active automobile industry sector, a different reality sets in. I agree with market forces but government distortions are often beyond our control, where subsidies come in so many forms that distorting the market has become an automatic knee jerk reaction. It is also estimated that each automotive job increases services required by a factor of nine to one. The other cash injection was $372 million to Bombardier for their new C series aircraft. Again, this largess was in the form of a loan. Plus the Quebec Government advanced them a cool billion for 49.5 percent of the company. Aircraft companies are a bit more difficult to remove the red ink on the bottom line. So one of the conditions asked of bombardier was to improve its efficiencies. Approxi-
mately 2,000 Canadian jobs and another 5,000 jobs worldwide were downsized. This apparently controls the red ink but sales of the C series would be very helpful. The fly in the ointment is the pay increase to the top five persons at the head of Bombardier. An increase of 50% equalling $32.6 million, these where awarded for achieving profit and after the first flight of the C series, I suppose to prove to the world its airworthiness. I presume that if their aircraft orders are filled it may create many jobs and be of tremendous value to the Canadian economy. But to award themselves this amount of pay increase so soon after scoring loans of $1.3 billion from their fellow tax payer strikes me as completely tone deaf. Grateful was not the first word that came to mind.
Dawson Trail Dispatch
Celebrating Over 20 Years of Service to Our Communities!
Leadership Skills for Manitoba’s Youth Agriculture is the foundation of the Manitoba economy, and is vital to each and every one of us. One in 10 jobs in Manitoba is touched by agriculture and over 4% of our province’s GDP is related to the industry. This industry represents the greatest and broadest opportunity to grow our province with the largest positive social impact we can provide all Manitobans. Recently, Brad Michaleski, MLA for Dauphin, introduced a resolution in the Manitoba Legislature to encourage schools in our province to incorporate 4-H programs within the curriculum. We were proud to see this resolution get support from all parties, and we hope that this kind of agriculture programming can find its way into schools. We understand that more and more, people want to know where their food comes from and our government believes that the 4-H motto “Learn to do by doing” is the best way to learn about where food comes from. 4-H is an international youth and volunteer organization. Its Canadian movement started in Roland, Manitoba in 1913. The organization’s clubs remain strong in this province, driven by thousands of members and volunteers and a strong partnership with Manitoba Agriculture. 4-H is also a great way for young people in our province to gain leadership skills. Leadership skills are in high demand in the job market, and fostering the next generation of young leaders is important for everyone. Through a wide variety of programs, important life skills are also taught and youth are able to broaden their skills. This week, I joined many of my colleagues in Brandon for the Royal Manitoba Winter Fair. The fair is a staple of Spring Break in Manitoba, and a tremendous opportunity for those in the agriculture sector and those with no experience to see the best that Manitoba has to offer. The Royal Manitoba Winter Fair is the largest indoor agricultural fair in Manitoba. The Winter Fair received Royal patronage from the Queen, and is only one of two fairs in Canada with such a designation. It is a great place for our youth to learn about Agriculture. Our youth are our most valuable asset; we owe it to them to give them all the tools they will need to be successful in life. I believe that teaching life skills has an important role to play in the education of our youth. As always, I look forward to hearing from you with your questions or concerns. I can be reached at my constituency office at 204-424-5406, at my legislature office at 204-945-4339 or at dennis.smook@leg.gov.mb.ca. Thank You Dennis Smook MLA for La Verendrye.
Legislature Making Important Fixes As we’ve moved into the spring season in southern Manitoba, our government has introduced several important pieces of legislation on a course to fix our province’s finances, repair our services and rebuild our economy. Some of the changes we’re making that I like most are bringing very important assistance to families and children. Manitoba families know the importance of affordable and safe options for childcare, and we are improving and modernizing the early-learning and child-care system to meet their needs. Our government is creating a service-oriented system for childcare while reforming the licensing process to lessen the burden on child-care operators. Among several changes, we will speed up licence renewals for child-care centres that have track records of full compliance with provincial regulations, rather than continue to have all facilities undergo the same level of inspection. We are also beginning to streamline application procedures for certified early-childhood educators (ECEs) seeking to open licensed home child-care centres, so they will no longer have to go through the same process as untrained applicants. This will encourage more ECEs to open licensed home daycares, creating more child-care spaces and more options for families. As well, we are making information on procedures for opening child-care centres much more readily available by consolidating documents and putting them online. Manitoba needs a greater availability of child-care spaces and far fewer regulatory roadblocks for operators. Separately, for the benefit of the child-welfare system, our government is making the Office of the Children’s Advocate stronger and better able to address kids’ needs. Our new Advocate for Children and Youth Act will expand the mandate of the Advocate’s office beyond Child and Family Services, in order to help other vulnerable kids and young adults. Manitoba must have much greater public accountability in child welfare following the decay of these services for over a decade. Our government is stepping up to address this need. On a more personal note at the legislature, I had the privilege of making a private member’s statement in the House on March 16 to honour Tyler Klassen on what would have been his 16th birthday while his mother, Lisa Boyd, watched from the gallery. Tyler is known as a hero for donating his organs to many people following his death in a car accident near Steinbach last fall. Despite this tragedy, Tyler’s story inspires. He had said before his death that he wanted his organs to help those who needed them. His kidneys, liver, pancreas and eyes, as well as muscle and tissue, went to other people. His gift is one they will always cherish. Bob Lagasse, MLA for the Constituency of Dawson Trail.
April 2017
Bethesda Book Sale Breaks Records Volunteers from the Bethesda Health Care Auxiliary are excited to announce that their most recent spring book sale topped all previous sales. Over the past several weeks, the ladies from the Bethesda Health Care Auxiliary have collected thousands of books and other reading materials for resale at their annual spring book sale. This year’s event took place March 22 to 25 at the Clearspring Centre in Steinbach. According to Verna Thiessen, spokesperson for the Bethesda Health Care Auxiliary, this year’s sale was such a success that it broke all previous records. “We did $21,080 on the sale and $450 in the 50 cent Tuesday sales,” said Thiessen. “We broke our all time record set in 2010.” Over the years, the Bethesda Hospital Auxiliary has hosted two used book sales per year as part of their mandate to raise funds in support of the regions largest hospital. The biannual events have raised well over over $500,000 for medical equipment necessary for patient comfort or safety, but not funding through Manitoba Health programs. If you are interested in becoming a part of this valuable group of dedicated volunteers the Bethesda Health Care Auxiliary is actively recruiting new members. They meet in the book sorting room at the Clearspring Centre on the first Tuesday of the month every month except from April to September or you can contact Verna at 204-326-3028 for more information.
April 2017
Celebrating Over 20 Years of Service to Our Communities!
Dawson Trail Dispatch
Demolition Begins on St. Adolphe Nursing Home
The fence is up and demolition of the historic St. Adolphe Nursing Home has begun.
Photo by Marianne Curtis
By Marianne Curtis In March, demolition crews moved in and began the task of tearing down the historic St. Adolphe Nursing Home. The St. Adolphe Nursing home has been empty since 2013 when the residents were relocated to a brand new facility in Niverville after Heritage Holdings purchased the property. Initial plans were to renovate the former convent, until it was discovered that asbestos was present throughout the building. Gordon Daman, Vice-President of Niverville Heritage Holdings is pleased that the project is finally moving forward. “We started demolishing the existing personal care home and this should take a few months,” Daman continued. “Over the next year we are going to look at adding senior housing and start looking at construction for 2018 if we attract enough individuals who are interested.” With demolition finally underway, Niverville Holdings is looking towards the future. “We are currently working on the campus development, which includes senior housing,
Artist renderings show plans for the site including a 90-space daycare centre.
a meeting place for the community as well as the daycare spots,” said Daman. While the province has committed to funding their portion of the project, obtaining community partners, funding for the rest of the project is proving to be a challenge. “The RM of Ritchot is very supportive of this project, but we are still working on a funding agree-
ment,” Daman explained. “We are optimistic that this project will move forward because it will be an asset to the community.” The redevelopment of the St. Adolphe Nursing Home was part of an agreement with the municipality when Niverville Holdings purchased the existing beds from the facility and relocated them to the Niverville Heritage Centre Personal Care Home.
Wildlife Haven Hosts Open House On April 30, the Wildlife Haven Rehabilitation Centre in Ile des Chenes is hosting their second annual spring open house. Bring the kids out for the afternoon to meet the Haven’s wildlife ambassadors and find out the status of the new building. There will also be behind the scenes tours of both the current and new facilities. In addition to the Open House, guests can enjoy raffles, bake sale, refreshments and guest speakers. The fundraising event is taking place at the TransCanada Centre from 12 - 4 pm. Admission is $10 and children under $12 are free.
Come meet Wildlife Haven Rehabilitation Centre Ambassador Max during the facility’s 2nd Annual Spring Open house.
Dawson Trail Dispatch
Celebrating Over 20 Years of Service to Our Communities!
New Piney Chamber Elects Board of Directors By Marianne Curtis
Businesses within the RM of Piney and the surrounding areas are being encouraged to join the newly established Piney Regional Chamber of Commerce. With its first action, the members of the Piney Regional Chamber of Commerce (PRCC) has elected the first Board of Directors. The inaugural six-member board consists of President Jonathon Prevost, Secretary Christine Sibilleau, and Paul Boileau with each serving a two-year term and Vice-President Len Friesen, Treasurer Martin Van Osch and Director Melanie Parent serving a oneyear term each. Prevost said that based on the RM business directory; there are approximately 70 businesses within the
municipality. Twenty-five local businesses have signed up to be members. “Over the past two months, the PRCC has established our board of directors and grown to a membership of nearly 25 businesses. It’s been a lot of hard work, but we are well on our way,” stated Prevost. “Over the next few months we are going to work, to establish our organization goals and continue to build on our membership numbers.” To maximize the benefits of being in a chamber, businesses are encouraged to participate and be active members. “We also understand that some businesses are not interested in being active in chamber activities, but see the benefits of supporting their community enrichment via the chamber and contribute by purchasing a membership, thereby contribut-
April 2017
ing to the economic well being and success of the chamber,” Prevost continued. The board also adopted their mission statement, which is to promote an environment, which fosters economic development, works in partnership with civic agencies, and provides value to members through education, networking and cultural interests thereby enhancing the region for work, play, raising families and doing business. The board agreed to meet on the second Thursday of every month in Vassar at the RM of Piney offices. Meetings start at 7 pm and usually last a couple of hours. Membership is open to businesses and residents in the RM of Piney and surrounding areas. There are two membership options. Members can be a full voting member, which is geared towards individuals, businesses or organizations for $80 a year or a Friend of the Chamber for $20 year.
Province Covers Portion of Sprague Man’s Medical Bills By Marianne Curtis The provincial government has agreed to pay a portion of a Sprague resident’s medical bills after he was charged $118,000 for medical treatment last year in the US. Provincial Minister of Health Kelvin Goertzen travelled to Minnesota personally to deal with the matter after Robin Milne was billed for medical treatment that he received in a US hospital. Milne, who lives in Sprague, was charged about $118,000 Canadian after suffering a heart attack in October. Doctors were unable to perform the operation needed to save his life. After waiting 90 minutes without an arrival time for STARS, a US based ambulance service flew him to Grand Forks for the procedure. He was then hospitalized for two days.
Initially the province refused to pay the bill, and Goertzen went as far to say that it was illegal for him to direct these types of payments. “I can advise… there are no outstanding hospital and medical bills for Mr. Milne,” Goertzen confirmed. The bill was supposed to be covered through the Altru Medical System, a longstanding agreement that permits residents in parts of southeast Manitoba to receive emergency medical treatment at hospitals in Roseau or Warroad, Minnesota. “I recently travelled to Roseau to meet with officials of Altru and LifeCare. As a result of those discussions around the operation of the Altru contract, and given the specific and exceptional circumstances of Mr. Milne’s case, there are no hospital and medical bills outstanding for Mr. Milne. Further discussions are ongoing with the medical transport
company regarding their invoice,” said Goertzen in a statement. Milne is still waiting to see if the province will cover the $36,000 to cover the air ambulance flight. Goertzen said the cost of the flight is not currently covered by the province; however, he is working to find a way to pay for the debt. The Altru Agreement, between the US and the province allows some Manitobans to receive medical attention south of the border. Health Minister Kelvin Goertzen said the agreement is now out of date. Goertzen said the province is continuing the discussions with Altru on the application of the agreement and there will be further information and consultations to the residents of the RM of Piney. “Additional clarity about eligibility for coverage and services is needed for both residents of Manitoba and the service providers in the United States to ensure similar unfortunate incidents do not occur,” he concluded.
Arts Council Campaigns for New Building By Marianne Curtis The Steinbach Arts Council is urging users and friends of the arts to join their campaign for a performing arts centre in the community. According to Cindi R. Patrick, on behalf of Friends of SPAC there are some Federal and Provincial politician’s names that have become a priority to contact as part of the campaign to raise funds for a new Steinbach Performing Arts Centre (SPAC). The group began lobbying for funds after the City of Steinbach determined that a new performing center is a priority for the community. “The letters and phone calls are beginning to have a positive effect, please continue to voice your support on behalf of the arts or community group you represent, or yourself personally,” Patrick urged. “The time is now; no regrets, please. We want to know we, you have done everything possible to make this Per-
forming Arts Centre a reality in our community, please do your part for the team.” Patrick added that the SPAC is grateful to the many people who have already inked inspiring notes, letters and emails. Meanwhile, Steinbach Mayor Chris Goertzen is encouraging the Friends of the SPAC to campaign the provincial ministers for funding, including Natural Resources Minister Jim Carr. “We as a City continue to advocate for this project and its funding through the Building Canada Fund, which is jointly administered by the Federal and Provincial governments,” said Goertzen. “I had a meeting with Minister Carr... and he was very familiar with the project and was impressed with the plan.” He added that the former oboist in his earlier career understands the importance of such a centre. “I urged the Minister to push for this project under the BCF as the two
governments will be in negotiations as to what will be funded and then announced,” he noted. Goertzen added that there have been no announcements to date as to this next round of projects covered under this collaborative fund. A year ago, Steinbach Council determined that a Performing Arts Centre was the next priority for recreation and culture facilities in Steinbach. Council approved up to $7.5 million of city funds to be allocated to the construction of a Performing Arts Centre with the remaining costs covered by other funding, including a minimum of ten percent from community donors. The city has submitted requests for funding from the Federal and Provincial government under the Building Canada Fund and the Federal Cultural Spaces Fund. A timeline for a response to these requests is unknown however, Council is hopeful that confirmation of this funding will be received sometime in 2017.
See the Dawson Trail Dispatch online at www.dawsontrail.ca
April 2017
Celebrating Over 20 Years of Service to Our Communities!
Dawson Trail Dispatch
Vintage Ride Raises Funds for Cancer Care
A group shot of the vintage sleds participating in this year’s Southeast SnoRiders Annual Vintage Club Show N’ Shine and Ride along the trail.
By Marianne Curtis On March 4, seventy-two vintage sleds and their owners met in Woodridge to participate in the 7th annual South East SnoRiders Annual Vintage Club Show N’ Shine and Ride. South East SnoRiders Club President Dave Boutang was pleased with the attendance of this year’s event. “The day started with a show and shine followed by a rise into the bush near Sandilnads, and ended with a trail ride wiener roast,” explained Boutang. The group gathered at the Woodridge Community Centre where a pancake breakfast was available, followed by the Snow N’ Shine.
The 30`km ride took place afterwards. This is the second time in the seven-year history of the event that funds were raised for Cancer Care Manitoba. This year’s event raised approximately $950 for the organization. “We’ve had a few members from our club who passed away from cancer, and a few who are fighting cancer, so we thought it was a good organization to support,” Boutang continued. Boutang said one of the many highlights was Richard Gregoire from the St. Anne SnowRaiders with his family and his 1959 Bombardier B-12 C-19 ride he was restoring.
Dawson Trail Dispatch
Celebrating Over 20 Years of Service to Our Communities!
April 2017
Piney Video Contest Winners Announced To see the winning videos visit sunrisecornermb.ca!
The winners of the Sunrise Corner video contest are Sebastian Brindle and Brodie Wood, William and Laura-Lynn Bradley and Colby Vinet.
Sunrise Corner would like to thank everyone who participated in the Youth and All Ages Video Contest. Due to a limited amount of entries for the All Ages contest, only consolation prizes were awarded. The first place winner was Sebastian Brindle and Brodie Wood. Placing in second place were William and Laura-Lynn Bradley and third place went to Colby Vinet. The contest was open to all youth living in the RMs of Piney and Stuartburn including students attending Ross. L Gray and Shevencko School. The purpose of the Youth Video Contest was to gather quality videos that promote the region, and people living within Piney and Stuartburn known as Sunrise Corner. These videos will be used as part of a regional tourism strategy, to highlight what Sunrise Corner has to offer to visitors and what makes it a desirable tourist destination. Sunrise Corner is the recently branded tourism initiative launched by the RMs of Stuartburn and Piney along with Eastern Tourism and Tourism Manitoba. The partnership is expected to better promote the communities within each municipality and the area as a whole.
Fire Destroys Home in Lorette On March 4, a Lorette family lost their home to a stubborn house fire. The blaze broke out in a home along Highway 207, a few miles north of Lorette. According to RM of Tache Fire Chief Allan Raue, one person was sleeping inside a mobile home when the fire broke out around 2:30 pm. The lone occupant was able to escape uninjured. The fire spread to the nearby main house, which was unoccupied at the time of the fire. The RM of Tache fire crews, with the assistance of the RM of Ritchot Fire Department battled the blaze for twenty-four hours, fire crews were address flare-ups. almost twelve hours. In the following called back to the site twice more to The cause of the fire is unknown.
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April 2017
Celebrating Over 20 Years of Service to Our Communities!
Dawson Trail Dispatch
Dawson Trail Dispatch
Celebrating Over 20 Years of Service to Our Communities!
Lorette Youth Wins Robot Games Event By Marianne Curtis A grade eight student from Dawson Trail School in Lorette was one of the top winners of the 22nd Manitoba Robot Games. Thirteen-year-old Joseph Bernardin and his robot competed against 237 pre-registered participants from schools across the province at Tec Voc High School on March 18. The annual Robot Games are designed to encourage students to look for careers in Science and Technology. Participants in each division have different tasks to complete which teach electrical, mechanical and technical abilities, while teaching teamwork. According to his mother Carmel Bernardin, Joseph has been working with his Dad to build robots to compete since he first visited the Robot Wars three years ago. “This is the second year Joseph has competed in Robot Games,” Carmel explained. “It is a great opportunity for kids to get involved in science outside of school.” Bernardin competed in The Tethered Sumo and The Line Follower competitions. The object of the Tethered Sumo is for two robots to try to push each other out of the ring. Although he won many battles in the Tethered Sumo, he failed to place in the event. The Line Follower requires you to program your robot to follow an 18 mm wide black line around each of four progressively harder arenas. “When it came time for the line follower competition, which combines computer programming and electrical skills, Joseph came out on top,” Carmel proudly said. “Joseph won the entire competition, as well as being the only robot able to complete each map in competition.” The Manitoba Robot Games encourage students to build skills as mechanics, engineers, software designers, and technicians, and to consider turning their skills into a future career. The Manitoba Robot Games (MRG) is a project of Science Council
Thirteen-year-old Joseph Bernardin and his robot takes top spot in the Line Follower event at the Robot Games, competing along side 237 pre-registered participants at Tec Voc High School on March 18.
Manitoba, which is a volunteer organization dedicated to promot-
ing Science and Technology in Manitoba’s youth.
April 2017
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Daycare Announced for St. Adolphe By Marianne Curtis A new ninety-space daycare centre for St. Adolphe was part of a recent provincial childcare announcement made by the province in March. The new facility was part of the provincial government’s commitment to spending over $6.18 million on 15 community-based capital projects that will create up to 739 new licensed child care spaces. Among the approved projects was a proposal by Niverville Heritage Holdings Inc. to build a day care centre with up to 90 spaces. Gordon Daman, Vice-President of Niverville Heritage Holdings, explained that the new daycare centre is part of the organization’s commitment to St. Adolphe, after purchasing the personal care home and moving the beds out of the community. “We are very excited about this announcement because it follows through on a promise made by the previous government,” Daman explained. “We are currently working on the campus development, which includes senior housing, a meeting place for the community as well as the daycare spots.” The province also launched new measures to increase the efficiency of the licensed early learning and childcare system by addressing regulatory barriers for operators at the same time. As part of the government’s plan to modernize the licensed early learning and childcare system, the province will expedite licensing renewals for centres with a track record of full compliance with regulations. The province has also vowed to streamline applications of certified early childhood educators who wish to open a licensed family child-care home, simplify, and expedite the process for age exemptions in order to ensure uninterrupted care for developmentally ready infants moving into vacant preschool spaces within the same centre. The province plans to improve public access to information regarding processes for opening childcare centres. The overhaul includes a review the province’s childcare legislation, regulations and procedures in order to streamline processes for childcare operators. The review, involves a detailed comparison of Manitoba’s standards to other Canadian jurisdictions in order to identify best practices, opportunities for efficiency and unnecessary duplication.
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April 2017
Celebrating Over 20 Years of Service to Our Communities!
Dawson Trail Dispatch
Dawson Trail Dispatch
Celebrating Over 20 Years of Service to Our Communities!
Falk Slams Federal Budget Deficit By Marianne Curtis
According to Provencher MP Ted Falk the Liberal government does not care about regular Canadians and their families, nor was he surprised the Prime Minister “broke his promise” when the Federal government tabled their budget on March 22. “During the 2015 Federal election campaign, the Liberals repeatedly promised they would run deficits no greater than $10 billion a year, and would balance the budget by 2019, in time for the next election,” Falk stated. “The deficit will come in at approximately $28.5 billion this year and we will continue to
see rising deficits with absolutely no promise of a return to balanced budgets.” Falk accused Trudeau of hiking taxes without caring about regular Canadians and their families, moms and dads, workers, small business owners, seniors and students. “All of them are being hit by Liberal tax hikes to pay for reckless Liberal spending; spending that is making no difference in people’s day-to-day lives. At a time when Liberals are making life more expensive, Justin Trudeau should have offered lower taxes and a job creation plan that actually works,” Falk continued. Falk said this budget is detrimental to farmers. “While there was some
new funding for innovation, the government seemed to use this budget to simply issue a challenge to farmers and processors. There was nothing new in this budget to help farmers deal with the growing labour crisis that is currently severely affecting their ability to grow their industry,” he added. As far as young Canadians are concerned, those between the ages of 15 - 24 lost a combined 42,000 full time jobs last year. “Canadians deserve solutions to the challenges they face right now, not expensive programs for years down the road,” Falk noted.
Woodridge Eatery Revamped and Reopened By Marianne Curtis
can talk to each other, and get away for the day.” While Woodridge is a beautiful community, the challenge will be to keep businesses open year round. During the winter, the area is swarming with snowmobile traffic, and the Tavern is located along the trail. In the summer, the business will have to rely on campers and ATV enthusiasts. “We have lots of business coming in but the challenge of this place is that you never know if you are going to come in and find it packed or there are only two customers,” Normandeau noted. Normandeau hopes that some big
plans for the site will help both the business and the community. “We are looking into hosting a flea or farmers market in our parking lot,” Normandeau continued. “We also have space that we can rent, and we are hoping to attract another small business into the community.” A portion of the building has remained unused since the building was completed after it was constructed to house a new community post office. “This would be a nice place for a gift shop, or an office,” Normandeau added. “We would love to see this space used.”
When heading out on the trail be sure to make a pit stop in Woodridge and check out the newly renovated and reopened Trails End Tavern. Rene Normandeau and his wife Pam Loewen found their piece of paradise in Woodridge and reopened the community’s only restaurant after it was closed for almost a year. Rene, a former CBC employee, said he moved to the area a few years ago, but did not initially plan to open a business. “We had a house fire and while we took our time to rebuild, we decided to start looking for a restaurant,” Normandeau explained. “That is when we stumbled upon this place.” The Trails End Tavern is located on the site formerly know as the Woodridge Inn. The historic hotel burned down several years ago, and was eventually replaced by a log structure in hopes that someone would turn it into a thriving business. A former Inn employee ran an eatery in the building, but it closed at the beginning of 2016. “Woodridge needed a full service restaurant capable of offering a service to the community and to the area,” Normandeau continued. “We want this place to be a boon to tourism in the area and for families to Rene Normandeau and his wife Pam Loewen welcome the community of Woodridge to the come and enjoy; a place where they Trails End Tavern. Photo by Marianne Curtis
Flood Information People are reminded to be watchful of local waterways, as flood conditions can develop quickly. Avoid driving through moving water as the water depth can be unpredictable and current can push vehicles off the road. People are reminded that ditches and culverts contain fast moving water which could be hazardous and should be avoided.
It is strongly advised that people be careful if venturing out onto what may appear to be frozen rivers and lakes, due to potential weak ice conditions. Since run-off may occur quickly, landowners who normally store a portion of run-off in dugouts for irrigation or other water retention structures are encouraged to retain water.
Homeowners should check their sump pumps and hoses to ensure they are fully functional. Up-to-date flood information can be found at www.gov.mb.ca/flooding/ or on Twitter at www.twitter. com/MBGov. For current highway conditions, call 511, visit www.manitoba511. ca or follow the Twitter account at www.twitter.com/MBGovRoads for closures. A Manitoba 511 app is now available for download at residents. gov.mb.ca/apps/511.html.
April 2017
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Not All Babies are Abandoned By Marianne Curtis With the arrival of spring, comes a growing problem. Well meaning animal lovers discover “abandoned” animals and bring them into the Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre. Each year the Wildlife Rehabilitation Center in Ile des Chenes receives over 300 infant Eastern Cottontails that were thought to be orphans, but in a vast majority of cases they likely did not need rescuing at all. If you find a nest of bunnies in your yard, garden, and even flower pots, the best thing you can do is leave them be,” explained a representative for the centre. “If the nest was accidentally disturbed simply put it back the best you can and mom will still continue to care for them.” She added that mother’s only return to the nest to feed them once or twice a day, usually at night for only a few minutes so you likely will not ever see her. “If you want to be assured she is returning to the nest, place a light string or
yarn over the nest in an X pattern and the next day you will see it disturbed which means she has returned,” she added. “Bunnies the size of a softball are already independent, so those need to be left alone as well.” If you do find a bunny that has blood or an obvious injury, was caught by a cat or if after two days the string test is not disturbed contact the Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre, as they will likely need care. “Bunnies are very difficult to raise in captivity, so please help us keep them in the wild where they belong,” the spokesperson concluded. Each year the Manitoba Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre receives thousands of phone calls from people who have found infant wild animals that they believe are orphans.
Ste. Anne Language Early Learning Centre Project Receives Funding The Farm Credit Corporation (FCC) recently announced that ten projects including one in the Town of Ste. Anne are receiving funds from the FCC Expression Fund. For the past ten years, the FCC has been awarding money to minority language projects across Canada. Each year, eight projects share in a total of $50,000. One of the top donations went to an early childhood education program operated by Conseil de développement communautaire de la Ville de Sainte-Anne in St. Anne, with an award of $10,000. Brenda Stasuik, FCC Director, Corporate Social Responsibility said they applaud non-profit groups in their efforts to help communities express their cul-
tural and linguistic diversity. “This year, we received over 65 applications for funding from communities across Canada, which demonstrates that many worthy organizations are working hard to keep both official languages thriving in their communities,” said Stasuik. “Our bilingual heritage is unique and FCC is happy to support worthy projects that promote both official languages.” The FCC Expression Fund was developed in 2008. Over the past 10 years, it has supported 57 projects with awards totalling more than $350,000. Community groups will once again have an opportunity to apply for the FCC Expression Fund in December 2017. Eligibility requirements and more information about selected projects and the fund can be found at fccexpressionfund.ca.
Falcon Lake RCMP Respond to Laser Pointed at Helicopter On March 8 around 8:45 pm, the Falcon Lake RCMP received a call from Kenora Flight Services advising their medi-vac helicopter was intentionally struck by a green laser light and tracked while on a westbound flight from Kenora to Winnipeg. No injuries to the crew and patient on board or damage to the aircraft was reported. The police cannot stress enough the seriousness of the incident and the dangers it could impose to those working and the passengers aboard the aircraft. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Falcon Lake RCMP at 204-349-8035 or call Manitoba Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800222-8477, submit a secure tip online at manitobacrimestoppers.com or text “TIPMAN” plus your message to CRIMES (274637).
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April 2017
Celebrating Over 20 Years of Service to Our Communities!
Dawson Trail Dispatch
C ommunity E vents Friedensfeld Perogy Dinner Fundraiser- On Sunday, April 23 starting at noon in the Community Centre. Contact 204-326-2760. Country Dance – On Saturday, 29 April at 8 pm. The Annual Spring Fun Country Dance at Community Centre with Music by “D” Good Ol’ Boys, Silent Auction and Lunch. No Alcohol. Cost: $10. Gala Fundraiser – On Friday, May 5 starting at 5 pm in the Community Hall. Celebrate the Arts - Celebrating Canada’s 150th Birthday. Cost: $120. Giroux Bingo - Every Thursday at Giroux Hall. Doors open at 5 pm, Bingo starts at 7 pm. Hall rental information for Socials, weddings, family functions, Meetings and more please call Debbie 204-424-5506 or Mike 204-326-6260. Hadashville Tae Kwon Do - Every Wednesday at 6 pm at the Hadashville Community Club (Reynolds Recreational Centre) from 6 years old to adults. Pursue a black belt or learn new skills, great stress release and have an excellent workout at the same time. Cost after registration fee is $40/month per person. Ask about 2 week free trial. Contact Shelly at 204-426-5266 or KSTA. academy@gmail.com. Ile-des-Chênes Ritchot Senior Services Foot Care Clinic - On Monday, April 17, May 8, May 29, June 19 and July 10 by appointment. To reserve contact Janice 204-883-2880. With Cheryl Palmer, foot care nurse. Seine Singers Dessert Concert – On Sunday, May 7 begins at 7 pm at the TransCanada Centre, Ile des Chenes. Tickets - $15 each, available from choir members or 204-878-2016. Tickets not available at the door. Celebrating Canada’s 150th Birthday and Celebrating Seine Singers 20th Anniversary. Featuring Seine Singers the Lorette community women’s choir and Plain Salt a local Celtic Band. Taekwondo – On Tuesdays and Thursdays from 6:30 – 8 pm at the Ecole Ile Des Chene School. Cost $40/month, family rates available. Contact Kangs.mb.ca, Master Bill Tam 204296-8217. Quantum Dance Academy – Runs to Tuesday, May 23 2017 at 539 Main Street. For students aged 2-18 a variety of dance styles including ballet, hip-hop, jazz, tap and more. The season finishes with a recital at the Pantages Playhouse Theatre. Contact Lee Miazga at quantumdanceacademy@gmail.com or 204- 880-5178. Parent Child Playgroup - On Wednesdays from 10 am – 12 pm at the School, Rm142. Contact idc.mb.playgroup@ gmail.com. Story Time in Pyjamas - Every Thursday evening at the Ritchot Library Ecole Regional Gabrielle-Roy at 6:30 pm. Ages 2-8 however all ages are welcome. Yoga- On Tuesdays and Thursdays at 6:30 - 7:30 pm at the TransCanada Centre. Cost is $15 per class or 10 classes for $125. Zumba - On Mondays and Wednesdays, from 7 pm – 8 pm at the TransCanada Centre. 10 classes for $75 or $10 drop in. Contact sarah.abraham@gmail.com. 50+ Programs - At the Trans Canada Centre Indoor Walking - Mondays, Wednesday and Friday 9 – 10 am Yoga - Monday 10 -11 am Coffee Talk - Wednesday 10 - 11 am Block Therapy - Tuesday 10 - 11 am Water Colour Painting – Thursday 10 - 11:30 am Line Dancing - Thursday 7 - 8 pm Floor Curling - Friday 10 am – 12 pm Contact to register Mary Ann vintageclub@transcanadacentre.com, 204-339-6141. Our Lady of the Roses Prayer Group – Meets on the first Saturday of every month, at 6:30 pm to recite the Rosary and learn about Our Lady of the Roses, Mary Help of Mothers and receive Blessed Rose Petals and other Sacramentals from Blessed Mother’s place of miracles. Contact Corinna 204878-4908 or email her at corinnaswetz@hotmail.com for more info and register. Kleefeld Community Playgroup - For parents, caregivers and children up to age 5. Activities include time for playing, stories, songs and snacks. Every 2nd and 4th Thursday of the month at the Kleefeld Rec Centre. Contact Irene Ascough 204-377-5013. La Broquerie Annual General Meeting Seine River Services for Seniors – On Wednesday, May 17 at Le Centre de l’Amitié, 97 Principale St. Doors open at 11:15 am. Everyone is welcome. To register contact Juliette Rowan at 204-424-5285 before Wednesday, May 10. Eastman Immigration Services - International Cooking Classes – On the 1st and 3rd Tuesday of the month in La Broquerie. Space is limited. Contact to register 204-346-6609 or email lois@eastmanis.com. Seine River Services for Seniors- Health Centre/Centre de Santé from Monday - Friday 8:30 am - 4 pm. Services
and programs for seniors. Income Tax help, Lifeline, mobility equipment, foot care, hair care, transportation, home maintenance, yard maintenance, Telecheck, E.R.I.K. program, puzzles and games. Contact Community Resource Coordinator Juliette Rowan, 204-424-5285 or labseinerss@gmail.com. Shopping Trips to Winnipeg’s St.Vital Mall every first Thursday of the month, leaving at 10 am - 3 pm. Cost $15. Steinbach’s Clearspring Centre every last Thursday of the month, from 10 am - 1 pm. Cost $10. Lorette Craft & Story Time – On Saturday, April 8 at the Tache Library, 11 am - English, 1 pm - French. Come decorate Easter eggs from 10:30 am – 1 pm at 1082 Dawson Road. Contact 204878-9488, email btl@srsd.ca. Lego Club – On the last Wednesday and Thursday of the month starting April 26 and April 27 from 6:30 - 7:30 pm at the Tache Library, 1082 Dawson Rd. Please register, as space is limited. Open to all ages! Contact 204-878-9488, email btl@srsd.ca. Lorette Curling Club Wind-Up and AGM - On Saturday, April 29 begins at 5:30 pm - Happy Hour, 6:30 pm - Pot Luck (bring your favourite dish), 7:30 pm - Guest Speaker - Cathy Gauthier a 3 times World Champion Curler and broadcaster, formerly from Lorette, 8:30 pm – AGM, 9:30 pm - dance time. New Horizons Seniors - Play cards, Scrabble and more. Drop in Tuesdays 1 - 5 pm at Foyer Notre Dame Lorette, 12 St. Amant Ave. Contact Iris 204-878-3552. Ritchot Senior Services Foot Care Clinic - On Wednesdays April 12, May 3, May 24, June 14, July 5 and July 26 by appointment. To reserve contact Janice 204-883-2880. With Cheryl Palmer, foot care nurse. Grief Support Group - On Saturday mornings from April 29 – June 24. Registration deadline Sunday, April 9. To provide education on the grieving and mourning processes to individuals who have lost a loved one. 10-weekly meetings, 2 hrs per week. Group size limited to 6 each. The facilitator is Maryanne Rumancik and we will follow the program found in Understanding Your Grief: Ten Essential Touchstones for Finding Hope and Healing Your Heart (book with journal) by Dr. Alan Wolfelt. Suggested donation to cover book costs is $45. Contact Fr. Charles Fillion 204-878- 2221 or Maryanne Rumancik 204-878-3901. Meeting time TBA.
Richer Richer Community Club Chase the Ace! - Every Saturday at the Richer Inn from 5:30 - 7:45 pm. Tickets only $1 each. Jackpot is growing! Door prizes on random Saturdays ranging from glassware to Jets tickets and jerseys! Bud, Spud and Steak Special and more! Check out and like Richer Community Club Facebook page for updates. LGA License #1392RF. Membership, Métis Conservation Trust Fund Stickers and Big Game Tag – On Saturday, May 6 from 11 am- 3 pm at the Richer Young at Hearts Club. Hosted by local Métis Federation and the Regional MMF office to process your Membership, Harvester, replace or renewal of cards. Each Harvester card must be returned and any unused past year’s tags. Each harvester member must complete a survey before acquiring new tags for the new season. Fee: Membership/Harvester/Replacing or Renewing card $10, Big Game Tags $25. Cash only accepted. For copy of survey or more information visit MMF website mmf.mb.ca.doc. Elections will be held for the positions of president and vice-president. Adult & Teen Challenge Concerned Persons Support Group Join us Thursday evenings at 7 pm, in the Richer Fellowship Church, 50 Southeast Drive. If you have a relationship with someone who has a life-controlling problem, join us for this nine-week Living Free course. Receive encouragement and support in a safe setting, and learn practical ways to best help your loved one. Contact Pastor Ben Funk at 204-326-2254 or phone the church at 204-422-5308. Richer Recovery AA - Group meets Monday from 7:30 - 8:30 pm at LUD Hall in Richer. Contact Paul at 204-422-7673. Monday Night Bingos - To raise funds for Stacey Pchajek Memorial Foundation Inc. The foundation provides scholarships, bursaries and prizes to students graduating grades 8 and 12. Children under 14 must be accompanied by an adult to be on premises and must play bingo. Doors Open at 5:30 pm at the Young at Heart Club, 22 Dawson Rd. MGCC License # BI/BO4164. Contact Doreen Pchajek at 422-5243 or doreen@spmf.ca. Sarto Ukrainian Dance Club – On Mondays from 7 - 8 pm at the Sarto Hall. Join the Sarto Polevnyi Ukrainian Dance Club for the season! You do not need to be Ukrainian to dance! Boys & girls, ages 3 to adult, no prior experience required! Cost starts at $150/year.
Lorette Metis Local regular meeting, April 26 at 7 pm, Centre Jubinville, 1254 Dawson Road, Lorette. Please confirm and for further information please contact Lorraine at 204-8783704 or lorettemetislocal@mymts.net.
Sprague Sprague & District Historical Museum - Open by appointment from June – September 30. Explore life as it was in the early days. Free Admission. Donations Accepted. Contact 204-4372210, 204-437-2209 or 204-437-4686.
Lorette Metis Local will again be holding a membership drive on May 18 at Centre Jubinville for all new and previous members at 1254 Dawson Road, Lorette. Members that have the new cards don’t forget to check front of your card for expiry date. Stickers will be available for the Harvester cards. Please confirm, for time and further information please contact Lorraine at 204-878-3704 or lorettemetislocal@mymts.net.
St. Adolphe Forever Young Dance Club – On Saturday April 8, from 7 – 11 pm, music with Country Pride, on Saturday May 13, from 7 – 11 pm, music with Dennis Nykoliation and Saturday June 10 from 7 -11 pm, music with Small Town Limits. At 457 Main St. Cost $15 includes lunch. Reservations required contact Rae 204-883-2440 or Denise 204-883-2429.
Middlebro Spring Bake and Craft Sale – On Saturday, April 22 from 9 am - 3 pm at the Community Hall. A variety of crafters and new vendors. Kitchen open for lunch and snacks. Contact Rita for further information 20-437-2415 or email playandbehappy@yahoo.ca.
C.H.I.L.D program – On Wednesdays from 9:30 - 10:30 am at Ecole St. Adolphe School. Children’s introduction to learning and development. Contact sas@srsd.ca or 204-883-2182.
Mitchell Senior Centre - Breakfasts on Tuesdays from 8 - 10 am at 130 Ash St.
Pickle Ball – On Thursdays from 6 – 7:30 pm hosted by Club Amical at the St. Adolphe school gym. Contact Alma at 204883-2251. Lunches & Bingo – On Thursdays hosted by Club Amical. Contact 204-883-2491.
Niverville The Crow Wing Toastmasters Club – Meets every Monday at 7:30 pm at the Niverville Heritage Centre. If you want to become a better speaker, run meetings that are more effective or develop leadership skills, a Toastmasters Club is the place to start. Contact Sheryl Berglund, Sberglund4@shaw.ca.
Athena Women’s Beginner Hockey – Contact Bahia Taylor, bahia@envypaintanddesign.com for details and costs.
GriefShare - If you or someone you know has experienced the loss of a loved one we wish to help, you get support and learn about the grieving process. Contact 204-381-1155 to register or go to Nivervillegriefshare.com.
Ritchot Senior Services – Monday - Thursday from 9 am- 2 pm at 457 Main Street. Contact 204 883-2880 or Ritchotseniors@mymts.net. Monthly Activities: Block Therapy - 1st Wednesday of the month from 6–7 pm. Mood Disorders - Monthly Meeting - On first Thursday of the month at 2:15 pm Art Class - On first Monday and second Tuesday of the month, from 7 – 8 pm. Weekly Activities: Cardio Fit - On Mondays from 9:30 – 10:30 am. Chair Fit - On Mondays from 11 – 11:40 am. Yoga - On Wednesdays from 1 – 2 pm. Muscle Fit - On Thursdays from 9:30- 10:30 am Foot Care Clinic - On Tuesday, April 11, Friday May 5, Tuesday, May 23, Friday, June 16, Tuesday July 4 and Friday, July 28 by appointment. To reserve contact Janice 204-8832880. With Cheryl Palmer, foot care nurse.
Moms N’ Tots Playgroup - Moms with children up to age six. Wednesday mornings from 9:30 - 11:30 am located in the lower level of Fourth Avenue Bible Church (62-4th Avenue S.) Free drop-in program with coffee and snacks provided, along with a large open space for the kids to play while the moms visit. Contact Karen at klenzrpeters@hotmail.com. Paradise Village Paradise Squares Dance Club - On Tuesdays from 7 – 9:30 pm at the Paradise Village Rec. Hall. Modern Square Dancing is fun and a great social activity. Couples and singles are welcome. Contact Larry 204-422-5424. Prawda Circuit 30 - Alternate aerobic and weight exercises, with cool down and stretch exercises. Wear comfortable clothing, clean runners, and bring a bottle of water. Cost $2/class, Mondays and Thursdays at 7 pm, in the Reynolds School Gym. Contact Wendy 204-348-2433. Busy Bodies Playgroup – Every Wednesday from 9 - 11 am at the Reynolds School Gym. Free to parents and children. Snacks provided. Contact Cassie 204-793-8290.
Badminton Nights - At the school gym on Monday nights between 6 - 8 pm. $2 drop-in is required. Contact yvandupuis@gmail.com.
Weekly Bingo – On Tuesday nights at the St. Adolphe Community Club. Doors open at 6 pm, 6:55 pm - Speedo Game, 7 pm - Early Bird Games, 7:30 pm - Regular Games. We hope to see you there! Proceeds will support the Community Club. St. Malo Get Better Together – Begins Wednesday, April 5 to May 10 from 1 – 3:30 pm at the Chalet Malouin. Free program
model developed by the Patient Education Research Centre at Stanford University coordinated by the Wellness Institute. Visit getbettertogether.ca. Register contact 204-346-6694 or 1-800-742-6509.
National Canadian Film Day – On Wednesday, April 19 is the day we celebrate Canadian Films all across the country! Join us for “Anne of Green Gables” from 1 - 4:30 pm or “A Bear Named Winnie” from 7 - 8:30 pm.
Mood Disorders Association of Manitoba individual and support groups - Meets at Paroisse St-Malo/Blessed Marguerite Catholic Community, #5 St. Malo Street on the last Monday each month from 7 - 8:30 pm. For persons experiencing depression, anxiety, stress, bi-polar disorder and other mental health/emotional concerns. Contact Judy Dunn 204-4445228.
Paint Night Fundraiser – On Thursday, April 20 and Wednesday, May 24, door opens at 6:30 pm, and paint from 7 – 9 pm at the Legion Hall fundraiser for the Steinbach Legion. Cost $35 for tickets to paint with guidance from Colleen Watchorn. Light lunch served. For tickets call 204-326-5335 or text 204-381-0558 or email us.
Little Métis - On Wednesdays, from 10 am – noon, Sing with me group for parents/grandparents with children 0 - 5 years old. Crafts, songs, music, story time, healthy snacks, learning the Métis culture. Free. Contact Aline 204-347-5249. Sponge Puck Hockey – On Wednesdays at 8 pm at the arena. Come out and play for fun. Contact Gilles 204-347-5079. St. Pierre-Jolys HeART & Soul - Visual Art Show & Sale – On Saturday, April 8, all day at the ICSP Gym. The first annual Visual Art Show and Sale Event. Admission is $2 includes a Raffle Table, tickets for sale. Items donated by attending artists and other raffle items from the community. A light lunch will be available for purchase. It will be a fabulous time! Parent/Child Preschool Program – On Wednesdays beginning April 12 from 9 – 10 am at the St. Pierre Library. For Children ages 0 - 5 years and their caregiver(s). Songs, crafts and Circle Time. Come out and meet other parents/caregivers. Everyone welcome! The Knights of Columbus - The St-Pierre Carillon Council – On the first Thursday of the month at 482 Jolys Ave. W. Contact 204-433-7633. Ste. Agathe Ritchot Senior Services Foot Care Clinic - On Tuesdays, April 25, June 6, July 18, August 29, October 11 and November 21 by appointment. To reserve contact Janice 204-883-2880. With Cheryl Palmer, foot care nurse. Ladies Hockey – At the Arena. All levels welcome, including first timers. Contact cougarsrechockey@gmail.com for more info and costs. Walking/Running Club - A walking and running club held on various weekdays at 7 pm, contact carly.flowers@hotmail. com. Taekwondo - Every Tuesday and Thursday from 6:15 - 7:30 pm at Ecole Sainte Agathe hosted by Kang’s Taekwondo Academy. Cost $40/month. Family rates available. Contact Jason Barnabe, jason.barnabe@gmail.com or 204-802-3458. Ste. Anne It’s Story Time at Your Library- Wednesday at 1 pm and Friday at 11 am starting April 5 at the Bibliothèque Sainte Anne Library. Come and enjoy story time with your preschooler. Please call or email to reserve a spot 204-422-9958 or email steannelib@steannemb.ca. Volunteer Drive – the Bibliothèque Ste Anne Library is looking for volunteers to help with French Story time. If you have a couple of hours of free time weekly or monthly, the help is always welcome. Contact 204-422-9958 or email steannelib@steannemb.ca and ask for Shannon. Seine River Services for Seniors – Services and programs for seniors. Income Tax help, Lifeline, mobility equipment, foot care, hair care, transportation, home maintenance, yard maintenance, Telecheck, E.R.I.K. program, puzzles and games. Shopping Trips to Winnipeg’s St.Vital Mall every first Thursday of the month, leaving at 10 am - 3 pm. Cost $15. Steinbach’s Clearspring Centre every last Thursday of the month, from 10 am - 1 pm. Cost $10. Contact Juliette Rowan at 204-424-5285 Community Resource Coordinator for local services or e-mail labseinerss@gmail.com. Ste. Geneviève Library Night - Bibliothèque Taché Library at the Community Centre on the 2nd Tuesday of each month at 6:30 - 8 pm. A large selection of books in both French and English, for children and adults. Special requests can be made to the librarian, e-mail btl@srsd.ca or 204-878-9488 or in person. Come for a visit and see what we are all about. Steinbach Steinbach & Area Garden Club Workshop – On Monday, April 10 from 6 – 7 pm at the Mennonite Heritage Village “Learn Effective Backyard Composting”. Keep your kitchen scraps out of the landfill and create black gold for your garden. Registration requested. Drop-ins welcome. Contact Karen 204-3262351. Steinbach & Area Garden Club – On Monday, April 10 at 7 pm at the Mennonite Heritage Village “Gardening in the Shade”. Turn your shady spot into an eye catching shade garden. Join Erna Wiebe, Oakridge Greenhouse and Garden Centre, for ideas to make low light areas pop. Do you have deep shade? Partial shade? Dappled shade? Erna will guide you in selecting the shrubs, perennials and annuals according to texture, color, height and form to create the colourful retreat you’ve always wanted. Refreshments! Door prizes! Walk-ins $5. More info sagardenclub.com.
Cribbage Night – Friday, April 21, doors open at 6:30 pm at the Legion Hall. Cost $5 per person. Steinbach & Area Garden Club Desert Evening– On Monday, April 24 at 7 pm at the Mennonite Heritage Village. “Rethinking Gardening Myths: the science behind what works, what doesn’t and why interpreting information: science, soapbox or scam?” A special event for gardeners. An entertaining and knowledgeable speaker Dr. Linda Chalker-Scott, Associate Professor of Horticulture, University of Washington and author. Home gardeners will learn practices that are effective and sustainable. Everyone welcome! Refreshments and door prizes. Members $20/Non-Members $25 admission. Tickets contact Anne 204-326-2396 and more info at sagardenclub. com. Pancake Breakfast – On Saturday, April 29 from 8:30 – 11:30 am at the Steinbach Legion. $5 per person. Family Movie Night – On Friday, April 28 at 7 pm in the Library. Presenting “Home” rated G. Movie night is the 4th Friday every month. Free admission and free Popcorn! All children under 12 must be accompanied by an adult. Get Better Together – Begins Wednesday, April 5 from 1 – 3:30 pm at the Jake Epp Library. Free program model developed by the Patient Education Research Centre at Stanford University coordinated by the Wellness Institute. Visit getbettertogether.ca. Register contact 204-346-6694 or 1800-742-6509. Country Gospel Concert - On Sunday, April 23 at 7 pm at the SRSS theatre. Headliners, Bruce Reimer and the White Stones (Bruce is a former resident of Landmark now living in Alberta). The opening act will be Prairie Joe from Oak Lake. Tickets $15 each and will be available at whildeb@gmail. com or at the door. Trade Show, Craft and Bake Sale – On Saturday, May 13 from 9 am – 3 pm at the Legion Community Hall. Drop In Book Club – 2nd Tuesday every month at 7 pm in the Jake Epp Library. We’ll post the book for discussion that month and if you’d like to join us please stop by. If you want to start your own book club instead, you can always take advantage of our Book Club collections. No sign up required. Just read the book and come hang out. Knit-Wits Drop-In Club for Adults - Knit-Wits - Every 4th Monday of the month, from 6 – 9 pm at the Jake Epp Library. This is for anyone interested in fibre handcrafts such as knitting, crocheting, cross-stitch, needlepoint etc. This is not a class but a casual knitting circle for all skill levels. Please bring your own items/supplies. TOPS (Take Off Pounds Sensibly) – On Wednesdays, from 8:45 - 10:30 am at the Royal Canadian Legion. Cost $2/ week. A weight control support group that helps take off pounds sensibly and keep off pounds sensibly. Contact BettyLou Toews at 326-6397. Eastman Immigrant Services - Many events and activities to support and help you make new friends. Start to make this community feel like your home. Volunteer to help at our community events. IELTS (International English Language Testing Systems) in Steinbach on May 25. Call EIS to reserve your place. Every Day English All Levels - Every Wednesday 1 – 3 pm. Reading & Writing – All Levels on Monday and Wednesday from 10 am – 12 pm. Pronunciation All Levels - On Monday and Wednesday from 7 – 9 pm at D4-284 Reimer Ave. Classes are free. Contact 204-346-6609 or email lois@eastmanis.com. Eastman Safety Upcoming Programs - Located at 385 Loewen Blvd. Register online at eastmansafety.ca or contact 1-204371-1595. Mommies Group at Kidzone - On Wednesdays, from 9 am - 1 pm. Come by to meet other moms to chat with and get your kids to make some new friends. Cost $7, free coffee. Creativi-Tea Time - Need to relax? Every second Wednesday of the month, from 6:30 - 8:30 pm at the Jake Epp Library. Come and go as it suits you. We’ll provide basic supplies; feel free to bring your own. Includes tea and coffee. Games Day & Games Night – Every 1st Saturday of the month from 12 – 5 pm and the 3rd Wednesday of the month from 6 – 8:30 pm, at the Jake Epp Library. Come down to play strategy games. Bring a friend, your strategies and games. Test your skills and have fun. Ages 14 and up unless accompanied by an adult. Contact 204-326-6841, programs@ jakeepplibrary.com.
Dawson Trail Dispatch
Celebrating Over 20 Years of Service to Our Communities!
April 2017
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C ommunity E vents Royal Canadian Legion - On 1st Tuesday every month at 8 pm and Ladies Auxiliary meets 1st Monday of each month at 7:30 pm at the Steinbach Legion Community Hall, 294 Lumber Ave. Steinbach Girl Guides - Every Tuesday at the United Church of Steinbach, 541 Main St. Registration for girls 5-17. Develop personal values and well-being, self-respect and respect for others; promote fun, friendship, adventure and challenges through new experiences; develop leadership and decision-making skills; give service to the community; value the natural environment. The Steinbach Rotary Club - meets every Monday at noon except when Monday falls on a long weekend at the Chicken Chef, 365 Main Street, visitors are welcome. Contact Cornie at 326-3155. Mental Health Information and Support sessions - for family and friends of people with mental health issues are held the 2nd Tuesday of every month from 7 – 8:30 pm at the Eden East building, 21 Loewen Blvd. Contact Kim at 371-0824 or email eastmanmss@mts.net MS Monthly Self-Help group meeting - for people living with multiple sclerosis. The group meets on the second Thursday evening of each month from 6 - 7 pm at Fernwood Place apartments. Contact Nadine Konyk, Rural Client Services Coordinator at 1-800-268-7582 or email nadine.konyk@ mssociety.ca. MS Lunch Group- On 4th Thursday of every month, from 12 – 1 pm at All D’s Restaurant 320 Main Street. Contact Stephanie Bevacqua 204-9880904, Stephanie.Bevacqua@mssociety.ca. Mood Disorders Association of Manitoba individual and support groups Meets on the first Tuesday of each month from 1:30 – 3 pm at The Eden East Office, 21 Loewen Blvd For persons experiencing depression, anxiety, stress, bi-polar disorder and other mental health/emotional concerns. Contact Judy Dunn 204-444-5228. The Bethesda Regional Healthcare Auxiliary - meets on the first Tuesday of every month except for the months of July and August at the Bethesda Hospital. We welcome anyone interested in auxiliary work. Contact Verna Thiessen at 326-3028.
Pat Porter Active Living Centre offers programs, activities, services and volunteer opportunities, striving to promote healthy and active living for mature adults of the southeast region. We invite you to come and pay us a visit and consider participating in some of our programs. Rentals and Functions: We can accommodate the following but are not limited to Weddings, Anniversaries, Birthdays, Banquets, Conferences, Family Gatherings and More! Call Lynda at 204-320-4603 for more information. Volunteer Opportunities: Volunteer with us – we could use volunteers in many different areas. Whatever your skill set or age we have a place for you. Whether you can volunteer for an hour a month, week or day or several hours we can accommodate you with tasks. We are in need of Reception/Clerical duties and Cleaning duties. Call Lynda at 204-320-4603 for more information. Special Events: Movie Time – Monday, April 24 at 1 pm. Family friendly movies. Bring your family, friends and enjoy popcorn and beverages. Feel free to bring your own snacks. Old Time Country Dance - Friday, April 28 featuring live band – “Night Winds” – Tickets: $11 members, $13 non-members and $16 at the door. Night lunch provided. For further information, call receptionist at 204-320-4600. We accept Cash/Visa/ Mastercard/Cheque in forms of payment. Potluck Easter Theme – Thursday, April 13 at 6 pm. Please come join us for some good food, friends, entertainment and games! Entertainment will be the Pat Porter Active Liv-
Steinbach and Area Lions Club - Meets on the second and fourth Wednesdays of every month at the Magnolia Restaurant. Contact 204-326-2313. Carillon Toastmasters - Meetings open to adults who want to improve their leadership and communication skills. Thursdays at 7 pm at the Jake Epp Public Library 255 Elmdale Street, Contact Sheryl at 204-326-7628 or Irene at 204-424-5737. Al-Anon Program – Meets on Mondays at 7:30 pm at the Cultural Arts Centre back door, downstairs. Contact Lloyd 204-326-4365. Al-Anon 12 Step Recovery Group - Meets on Wednesdays at 7:30 pm at United Church, 541 Main St, front door, ring doorbell. All are welcome. Young moms to be - Bi-weekly support group starts at 4:30 pm at Steinbach Family Resource Centre B-11, Hwy 12N. Contact 204-346-0413. Woodridge Get Better Together – Begins Wednesday, April 5 to May 10 from 1 – 3:30 pm at the Community Hall. Free program model developed by the Patient Education Research Centre at Stanford University coordinated by the Wellness Institute. Visit getbettertogether.ca. Register contact 204-346-6694 or 1-800-742-6509. The Mobile Clinic – Is onsite on the third Thursday of every month from 9 am – 4 pm at the Community Club. Contact for appointments 1-855-644-3515 or southernhealth.ca. General Free Monthly Bus Trips to the Casinos of Winnipeg- On Tuesdays, April 11, May 9 and June 13 from 8:30 am - 7:15 pm. Begins at 8:30 am, pick-ups in Steinbach, Ste. Anne and Paradise Village. Must be 18 years of age or older. Prizes and cash giveaways every trip. Bingo played on the bus to and from the casinos for those wishing to play. Bi-monthly overnight trips to South Beach Casino are also available, amazing prices on these trips so call for details. Contact Marilyn at 204-326-4939 for information and reserve a seat. Please submit your local club or community events each month by emailing a short notice to: editor@dawsontrail.ca
ing Choir! All ages are welcomed! Bring a salad, casserole or dessert and we will provide the Ham. Fee is $6 to help cover the cost of the meat. Please call the receptionist at 204320-4600 to register so we can order the appropriate amount of ham. Save the Date - Dessert Concert on Wednesday, May 17 at 7 pm. Featuring the Pat Porter Active Living Choir! Regular Activities: Make sure to check out our quarterly Newsletter. All Programs have a fee of $2 to participate. Choir: Wednesdays from 10 – 11:30 am. Everyone welcomed. Choir Director is Lin Wiebe. Dancing Shoes: Tuesdays 7 - 9 pm. Practice your dancing moves. Bring your dancing music and join others. Chess + Other board games: New Time Tuesdays 1- 4 pm. Fun Bingo: 3rd Thursday of each month from 10 – 11 am. No Cash prizes – fun prizes are offered. Movie Time: 4th Monday of each month from 1 - 4 pm. Drop in Billiards: Monday - Friday from 9 am – 4 pm. Computer Classes: Wednesdays 9 am - 1 pm. Call 204-320-4600 to book an appointment. Cards: Monday – Canasta; Tuesday – Bridge (new time); Wednesday - Cribbage; Thursday – Whist. All card games are from 1 – 4 pm. Pickleball: Monday, Thursday and Fridays from 9 am – Noon and Tuesdays 9 – 10:30 am. Fitness Class: Every Tuesday from 10:45 – 11:45 am. Everyone welcome. Call Lynda at 204-320-4603 for more details. (Instructors are from Eastman Therapy Centre). Floor Curling/Floor Shuffle: Wednesdays from 1:30 – 4 pm.
Old Time Country Jam: Wednesdays from 7 – 9 pm. Ho Model Railway Project: Monday - Friday from 9 am – 4 pm. Free Programs: Crafty Corner: Every Friday from 2 - 4 pm. Bring your craft (anything goes – knitting, scrapbooking, woodwork, etc) and have some good conversation, coffee and share in learning from each other. Special guests and activities once a month. Cozy Corner Coffee Time: 10:30 am every morning for free coffee, tea, and a cookie. Meet new people and staff in a friendly and inviting atmosphere. Other Programs/Services Provided: Noon Meals: Available Monday Friday Cost $6. Come join us for lunch. Call Deb at 320-4605 the day before or by 9 am that day to reserve your meal. Tai Chi: Monday evening at 7 pm and Wednesday mornings at 10 am. Foot Care Clinic: Foot care is available the first Tuesday and Wednesday of every month and the third Tuesday and Thursday of every month. Call Reception Desk at 204-320-4600 to book your appointment. Beltone Hearing Clinic: Third Friday of the month. Call 1-800661-2653 to book your appointment. For more information on our programs, activities or volunteer opportunities, drop by the Centre Monday to Friday from 8:30 am - 4 pm or call reception desk at 320-4600 or Lynda at 320-4603. Visit us at patporteralc.com.
St. Pierre to Host Cabane a Sucre During the month of April, the annual sugar festival will take place held in St. Pierre-Jolys at the Cabane Sucre. The annual Sugaring Off Party is being held on April 8 and 9 from 10 am to 5 pm in the Cabane à Sucre, at the Musée de Saint-Pierre-Jolys Muséum in St. Pierre-Jolys. Each year, visitors from all over come to the festival, which is designed to celebrate the tradition of tapping Maple trees for their sap for syrup and maple butter. As part of the celebrations, visitors to the Cabane Sucre were shown how to properly tap a Maple tree for the sweetness inside, then the dehydrating process, and then given the opportunity to sample the finished product. The weekend event schedule is full of activities, including taffy on snow, an interpretive centre demonstrating the production of maple syrup, horse wagon rides, museum tours, traditional French-Canadian dining and local entertainment. There is no fee for admission. The annual Cabane a Sucre goes back to the spring of 1986, when Armand Desharnais ventured out to tap a few Manitoba Maple trees on the museum grounds. Much to his delight, clear maple water dripped out, producing fine syrup. With the help of volunteers, this slowly expanded into an annual Sugaring-Off Festival in April. As this community festival grew, so was the need for a larger sugar-shack. In 1998, local artist, Réal Bérard, designed the Cabane à Sucre and it was erected on the museum grounds. This unique building makes for an excellent gathering place for all occasions. In June 2000, the smaller, original sugar-shack, located adjacent to the newer building, was named Cabane d’mon oncle Armand to recognize the founder’s enthusiasm, perseverance and the gift of inspiration.
RCMP Investigate Collision Near New Bothwell On March 8 around 4:30 pm, St. Pierre-Jolys and Steinbach RCMP along with Fire and EMS responded to a motor vehicle collision at the intersection of Provincial Road 206 and Municipal Road 39 N in the RM of Hanover approximately 5 km southeast of New Bothwell. It appears an eastbound SUV on Road 39 did not stop for the stop sign at the intersection of PR 206, and as a result, struck a northbound SUV on PR 206 carrying four occupants. A 12-year-old female passenger from Steinbach was ejected from the northbound vehicle and transported to hospital with critical injuries, but was later upgraded to stable condition. It is believed the 12-year-old was not wearing a seatbelt at the time of the collision. Alcohol is not considered a factor in the collision.
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April 2017
Celebrating Over 20 Years of Service to Our Communities!
Dawson Trail Dispatch
An Anchor for the Soul With all the doubts, questions, insecurities and unsettledness of life today, is there anything we can anchor our lives to that will give us some help and hope? We have family, friends, a job, our community, our churches and our government. Most of us find some stability and hope in the above, but what happens when all visible sources of hope seem to have vanished and depression and despair begin to take their place. Where can a person find hope? The Bible provides an answer and calls that hope, “As an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast.” (Hebrew 6:19). Let’s look at the qualities of an anchor before we see what this Bible “anchor” is. An anchor holds you in place when circumstances are trying to destroy you. Many years ago, two of my sons and I were moose hunting in Northern Ontario on a fly-in lake. It was a very windy day. We had gone through a narrow channel into a neighbouring lake and the engine quit on our little boat. The wind was rapidly blowing us to a rocky shore where the boat would have been seriously damaged. There would be no help for days. It was snowing and we had no other way to return to our cabin. We threw our anchor overboard and it finally caught between some rocks on the bottom. It held us sure and steadfast until we got the boat motor going again. While we worked on the motor, the winds were still boisterous, the waves tossed us up and down, but we now had a confidence and assurance that our anchor would hold us during our troubles. The anchor kept us out of danger and it became our refuge that we relied upon until the danger had passed. That anchor reminds me of a much more reliable Anchor, found in the Bible, the Lord Jesus Christ. When the storms of life threaten to shipwreck our souls and there seems to be no hope, there is always an Anchor in Jesus Christ. When you put your faith and trust in Him He will hold you safe, secure and steadfast in His care. He will give you assurance, hope, confidence and strength that only He can supply. Psalms 46:1 says, “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” Jesus Christ (God) qualifies to be your Anchor today. 2,000 years ago, He went to Calvary and died on an old rugged cross. He shed His blood as perfect payment for the sins of all men and women. This month (April) we celebrate Easter, remembering that Jesus Christ rose from the dead that first Easter morning, victorious over every circumstance and situation you could ever face in life or death. If you have already trusted Christ as your Anchor in life, then thank Him daily for the hope He provides. If you haven’t trusted Christ to save you, forgive you and become your Anchor in life, why not do that today? Then you can say you also have an Anchor of the soul, steadfast and sure! God bless you as you seek Him.
Landmark-Raised Siblings Bring Music Home By Marianne Curtis On April 23, a group of former Landmark residents along with their musician friends will return home from northern Alberta for a one night of hope and thankfulness. The Bruce Reimer & The White Stone Band is a predominantly Christian country band from northern Alberta. The six-member band consists of Bruce, along with his brother Russ on drums and harmonica, and sister Gail Johnas on harmonies and piano. The trio of locally raised siblings is joined by Elizabeth Barta on violin, Gary Wilkenson on lead guitar and Charlie Hale. Gail and Russ are the only ones still living in Landmark. “We exist primarily to encourage through music, young and old alike to consider a relationship with the “Creator” of this universe, God, our Heavenly Father, if you haven’t already done so,” said Bruce. “And if you already have made a choice to follow the Saviour of this world, then these songs will help you keep on keeping on, in a world where the journey sometimes seems too difficult, and the road
Alberta Band, Bruce Reimer & The White Stone Band, formerly of Landmark is returning home for a one-night performance on April 23 in Steinbach.
seems too long.” Most of the music performed by the Bruce Reimer & The White Stone Band is original, with some cover tunes thrown into the mix. “We like to sing about family and faith, songs that reflect the good and the difficult circumstances in life,” Bruce added. “Many of our songs have a theme
of hope and thankfulness for God’s blessings in our lives.” The Bruce Reimer & The White Stone Band is performing for one night on April 23 at the Steinbach Regional Secondary School. Tickets are available at the Hulls Bookstore in Steinbach and the concert starts at 7 pm.
Dawson Trail Dispatch
Celebrating Over 20 Years of Service to Our Communities!
April 2017
A Problematic Theology Perspective
Provencher Still Leads the Way in Charitable Giving By Marianne Curtis Recently released data from Statistics Canada once again shows that Provencher residents continue to give record amounts of donations to charity. Provencher MP Ted Falk said that according to Statistics Canada, the median donation across Canada in 2015 was $300, while in Manitoba that number rose to $420. “When we dig deeper in the numbers we see how residents of Provencher have really lived up to their reputation as being among the most generous in the country,” stated Falk. “I am so very proud to see the generosity of my constituents once again shine through.” Statistics show that Blumenort once
again holds the title for being the most generous community in southeastern Manitoba with a staggering median donation of $3,740, twelve times the national average. Following Blumenort was Landmark at $2,490, Kleefeld $2,260, Steinbach $1,900, New Bothwell $1,500, Grunthal $1,400, Niverville $1,320, Ste. Anne $590, St. Pierre-Jolys $550, La Broquerie $500, St. Malo $390 and Lorette at $350. “However, the news is not all good for charities. The latest numbers confirm what many in the charitable sector already know, the number of charitable donors across Canada continues on a long term decline,” Falk added. “This is the reason why last year I introduced my Private Members bill, The Fairness in Charitable Gifts Act.”
Only 21% of Canadians claimed charitable donations on their tax return in 2015. This number is down from a high of 29.5% in 1990. “Simply put, while overall charitable giving is slowly increasing in total dollars donated, it is coming from an ever-shrinking donor base,” Falk explained. “Many people don’t realize that federal tax credits for political contributions far exceed the federal tax credits for donations to registered charities in Canada. My Private Members bill would have allowed registered charities to provide their donors with the same generous donation receipts that politicians can now issue.” Falk believes these changes would provide a powerful incentive to encourage Canadians to increase their charitable giving, and draw in people who currently do not donate at all.
Bethesda Launches Emergency Department Info System Southern Health-Santé Sud will be implementing a new Emergency Department Information System (EDIS) at all three of their regional health centres, including Bethesda Regional Health Centre in Steinbach. The EDIS is designed to assist with managing patient care as an electronic patient tracking and clinical documentation system that will connect Bethesda Regional Health
Centre with other sites in the province. The system is used to track and monitor patient activity and care in the emergency departments. System features include the ability to track patients, manage workflow and enhance communication, while supporting timely, safe and quality patient care. Part of this will be the installation of a wait-time display board that will be located in patient waiting ar-
eas. This board will display how many patients are waiting and how long of a wait to expect. Southern Health warns that patients may experience an increase in wait times as staff becomes familiar with the new system. EDIS was originally introduced 10 years ago at the St. Boniface Hospital in Winnipeg and has been implemented in all acute care centres in Winnipeg as well as in Brandon and Selkirk.
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Matthew 5:3-12... 3) “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 4) Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. 5) Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. 6) Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. 7) Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. 8) Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. 9) Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. 10) Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 11) “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. 12) Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you. (NIV) Have you ever tried in a gentle way to change a person’s theology? Well if we do, we must make sure we wear some Biblical safety gear to protect ourselves; we are about to receive a rather rough welcome when all our Biblical principles are displayed to those folks we are about to challenge. There have been occasions when we were in the coffee shop and we hear someone we know, (that is sitting at our table) who has been ill advised concerning Biblical truths. Trying our best to teach what we believe is according to Scripture, we must be careful and tender hearted; however, watch the sparks fly. Wow!! Do we ever get a wake-up call! It can get rough out there. And that reaction is coming from some of our Christian friends. But just think what it would be like among those who have never accepted Christ. That was what Jesus was doing and is still doing today. He is taking that worldly theology, a theology that contradicts Christ, and turning it inside out. He is saying we must start from the inside, from the heart to transform a human being… not from the outside working inwards. The only way that I can have a productive Christian life is to take care of the spiritual issues within my heart. Matthew 5: 3-12 has some real life giving or, maybe I should say, “Life saving thoughts”. It is the beginning of the Sermon on the Mount. As we study Scripture, we find that this old world has not even come close to catching up with its principles. Unbelievably, some folks claim that the Sermon on the Mount is their way to heaven, leaving Jesus Christ out of the picture completely. But here we have Jesus teaching His disciples. Perhaps these Beatitudes teach us… That we need not be afraid to seek the guidance of the Holy Spirit to give us the courage… To apologize when we have hurt someone. Not to be selfish. Listen when good advice is given. Not to be afraid to admit that we have made a mistake. Today we hear world leaders shouting untruths, never apologizing; they do not know how to shoulder a deserved blame; but they sure do know how to blame others. But we ought to be wiser, yes, we should try to avoid mistakes, and when we have slip-ups, we must profit from those mistakes; because we feel a whole lot better when we shoulder a deserved blame, and it will make it a lot easier for others who follow the teaching of Scripture, for them there will be one less struggle to be encountered in their Christian journey. This is the message that Jesus conveys to us today. He knows that some of us have all kinds of faults; some find it hard to keep away from the bottle, there are those who use language that is not pleasing to Christ; gambling, swearing, losing our temper… this type of behaviour grieves the Holy Spirit. But we know that Jesus Christ does not come to us today with an ultimatum. No! It is not time for that. One day He will come as a Judge to judge humanity. But until that day, we live in the age of grace; thank goodness for that! Today Christ Jesus comes to us, not with condemnation but with conviction. He speaks to our heart to come as we are to the cross. We are invited to hear and respond. Maybe we need to take a moment to consider what has been said . . . Can we hear Christ’s voice as he speaks to us today? Can we hear as He whispers to our heart to follow Him to the Cross where your sins, my sins, our sins can be forgiven? Are we ready to share the Good News with others that Christ died for them too? To God Be the Glory Great Things He has done. Would you pray this prayer with me? … “Lord Jesus, come into my heart. Forgive my sins. I want my life to change. My thoughts and my attitude need to change. I don’t have peace in my heart, I really want that peace, joy, and happiness that I long for. Please let the Holy Spirit help me be the kind of Christian that will bring honour to Your Name.” Amen.
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April 2017
Celebrating Over 20 Years of Service to Our Communities!
Spring Home
Federal Budget 2017 and Your Income Taxes In March 2017, there were a few new announcements that will change the personal income taxes for 2017. I’ll explain some of the changes and revisit other changes to the 2017 taxes that were announced in the past year. First, there is a new Canada Caregiver Credit that replaces three existing Federal credits: Caregiver Amount, Infirm Dependant Credit and the Family Caregiver amount. It appears the only real change is for the few taxpayers that have an older adult (parent) aged 65+ living with them. Until 2016, you could claim a credit depending on their income. But starting in 2017, you can only claim it if they are infirm or disabled and depending on their income. We haven’t seen all the details of how the new Canada Caregiver Credit will affect the taxpayers, but it’s clear the current Federal Government is making more credits “tied to income” so those with higher incomes will receive fewer tax breaks much like the Canada Child Benefit is completely based on income. The Public Transit Credit has been eliminated. This credit was mostly used by those living in larger cities like Winnipeg, or those that may have used the “park and ride” options. The Disability Tax Credit can now be certified by a Nurse Practitioner. Not sure how this changes for taxpayers in Manitoba: I do not know if the Nurse Practitioners in Manitoba have regular patients that they have medical records for and would be able to complete the form. I’m hoping a practicing Nurse Practitioner can contact me to enlighten me. EI Premiums will be increasing for both employees and their employers. The rest of the changes I would like to remind you about were previously announced, but are not well known. First, students (and their financially supporting parents) will be greatly affected in 2017 and not in a good way. The credits are reduced: no more Education credits and no more Textbook credits. Students will only be able to claim the actual tuition amount indicated on the official tuition receipt: the T2202a issued by the Post-Secondary Education Institutions. There will be fewer credits available to transfer to a parent or a spouse or less to carry forward to future years. Let me give you an example. If a student pays about $4,000 in tuition and is in school full time for 8 months, the additional Education and Textbook credits (about $3,200) increased the total credits to over $7,000 and saved the student and/or the parent almost $2,000 as a tax refund. By removing the Education and Textbook credits, the Federal government has removed about $500 out of the pockets of students (or their parents) each year. I believe they did this to stop helping “rich families”, but they also affect other families with lower incomes. We do not know what will happen to the
Dawson Trail Dispatch
provincial credits and if the Manitoba Government will also eliminate these credits. The First-Time Donor’s Super Credit Tax Credit is about to end: if you make a charitable donation for the first time in 2017, take advantage of the Federal First-time Donor’s Super Tax Credit, which provides a 40% tax credit for donations of $200 or less, and a 54% credit for donations over $200 and up to $1,000. This has been a temporary tax credit and 2017 will be the last taxation year it is available. If you have not made a charitable donation since 2007, consider making a sizeable (up to $1,000) donation in 2017 and get back more than half of what you donated! The Children’s Fitness and Arts credits are eliminated for 2017. Just when I had, parents well trained to keep all these receipts for tax time. The reason is the increase in the Canada Child Benefit has offset these credits. A few reminders to those who have not yet filed your 2016 income taxes (or maybe you have but need to make an adjustment). One new wrinkle this year is for those who have sold property in 2016 including your Principal Residence. Canada Revenue Agency needs you to start disclosing anytime you sell a property. If it has been your Principal Residence for the entire time you owned it, you will continue to have no capital gains to pay taxes on. Remember if you do not disclose, you can face penalties of up to $100 per month until you file the election. If you have already filed your taxes and didn’t disclose the sale of your home, you need to get that information to CRA by May 1 to avoid penalties. The second reminder is for those who are 65+ and own their own home. Remember to include your property tax bill information to be able to claim the Manitoba Senior School Tax Rebate. If your family income is under $63,000 you will get all or a portion of the maximum $470 credit. The Home Accessibility Tax Credit is new this year, to assist seniors and those eligible for the Disability Tax Credit, with certain home renovations such as grab bars, wheelchair ramps, walk-in bathtubs and showers etc. The 2016 tax year filing deadline is Monday May 1. Hurry hard and get your taxes done on time! For those of you that are self-employed (and their spouse), your deadline is June 15, 2017. And remember that a Service Canada representative comes to Ste Anne the third Thursday of every month (April 20) at the Manitoba Service Centre located at 30 Dawson Road (next to my office). See her about your CPP, OAS, EI, SIN and more! Anni Markmann is a Personal Income Tax Professional and Certified Financial Planner; living, working, and volunteering in our community. Contact her at 204422-6631 or 36 Dawson Road in Ste Anne (near Co-op) or Info@ SteAnneTaxService.ca.
Expect the unexpected when renovating a home Tackling any renovation project is an exercise in patience. Renovations can impede on daily activities and cause a certain level of upheaval in homeowners’ lives. Homeowners planning renovations also may find that they must have some wiggle room when it comes to both their budgets and their expectations. Remodeling, particularly with regard to older homes, may unveil unforeseen issues that only arise in the face of the renovation. So what can homeowners expect during a renovation? The following are a few issues that might arise during home improvement projects. - Dirt and noise: Homeowners can count on dust, debris and noise throughout the renovation process. Dust appears when walls come down or go up, and construction teams typically erect temporary walls or tarps to contain the debris. Air filtering systems also can limit dust particles.
Noise is unavoidable. If it becomes troublesome, arrange to be outside of the home when the bulk of the construction is taking place. - Delays or schedule changes: Even the best contractors cannot control every aspect of the job. They rely on subcontractors and vendors to do portions of the work. Materials may not always arrive on time, or they may fall short of homeowners’ expectations. This can push back the project schedule. Homeowners should hope for everything to be done on time, but it can be less stressful if homeowners anticipate delays and be a pleasant surprise if there are no delays. - Hidden issues: Contractors may uncover all sorts of issues that need to be addressed before a project can progress. Examples include the presence of asbestos (common in older homes), plumbing problems, incorrectly wired electrical systems, and leaks or moisture issues. These problems also can impact the cost of the project, so set aside some money in the budget for unforeseen expenses. Chances are you are going to need some extra money to handle a few surprises during the project. It’s important to expect the unexpected when embarking on home renovations. Budgeting for hidden costs, expecting delays and coping with the upheaval to daily schedules are par for the remodeling course. However, the end result is often well worth the time and effort.
Dawson Trail Dispatch
Celebrating Over 20 Years of Service to Our Communities!
April 2017
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Renovations Post-winter garden prep Lawns and gardens can bear the brunt of winter weather and are often in need of tender loving care by the time spring arrives. Preparing a garden for spring and summer involves assessing any damage that harsh weather might have caused. As temperatures climb, gardeners can heed the following post-winter garden preparation tips in an effort to ensure some successful gardening in the months ahead. - Assess the damage. Even if winter was mild, gardens might still have suffered some damage. Inspect garden beds and any fencing or barriers designed to keep wildlife from getting into the garden. Before planting anew, fix any damage that Mother Nature or local wildlife might have caused over the past several months. - Clear debris. Garden beds and surrounding landscapes that survived winter without being damaged might still be littered with debris. Remove fallen leaves, branches and even litter that blew about on windy winter days before planting season. Make sure to discard any debris effectively so it does not find its way back into the garden. - Turn the greenhouse into a clean house. Spring cleaning is not just for the interior of a home. Cleaning a greenhouse in advance of spring can help gardeners evict any overwintering pests that can threaten plant life once spring gardening season arrives. A thorough cleaning, which should include cleaning the inside of greenhouse glass and washing
flower pots and plant trays, also can prevent plant diseases from surviving into spring. - Check for pests. Speak with a local gardening professional to determine if there Spring gardening season is right around are any local pests to look out for and the corner, so now is an ideal time to how to recognize and remove these pets prepare gardens for the warmer seasons from gardens. Pests may hibernate in the ahead. soil over the winter, and such unwelcome visitors can make it difficult for gardens to thrive come spring and summer. - Assess plant location. If plants, flowers or gardens have struggled in recent years or never grew especially vibrant, then gardeners may want to assess the location of their plant life before spring gardening season begins. Some plants may not be getting enough sunlight in certain locations on a property, while others might be overexposed to the sun during spring and summer. Moving plants that are not thriving prior to the start of spring gardening season may be just what gardens need to flourish in the coming weeks.
Purchase your Gala Table Today! On Friday, May 5 get your tickets for the ‘Celebrate the Arts’ Canada 150 Gala Fundraiser. Enjoy special entertainment, delicious food, an evening of dance, and fun! Live Painting by Signature Artist, Daylon Brown! The signature piece by this talented artist will be created in front of your eyes during the evening and go to the highest bidder at our traditional Fine Art Auction. A one-of-a-kind Custom Painting created exclusively for the highest bidder by artist, Melanie Penner! Additional Artists featured at this year’s Fine Art Auction include well-known artists Marilyn Pankratz, Amanda Von Riesen and Arlene Enns. New! Silent Auction artwork featuring Kim Gwozdz and Don Hoeppner. Table $850 and individual Tickets $120. Backyard Theatre Company’s Final Showcase… Amazing Adventures Don’t miss an evening of local theatre talent from The Backyard Theatre Company on Tuesday, April 11 at 6:30 pm SRSS Theatre. Various adventures from camping trips, super heroes and forest friends will be explored. Tickets available now. Call 204-346-1077 or online steinbachartscouncil.ca. Family Special: 4 for $30, Adults $12 and child/student $6. New Dates and Themes! Don’t Miss Canvas & Cabernet nights…For Beginners! Get ready for spring! It’s time for you to try it out! Check our website for the creative themes and more details. So popular, filling up fast, limited numbers. Sign up now online or call the office today. Limited numbers in each night. On Thursdays April 6 – Southwest and May 11 – Dreams. On Wednesday, June 7 - Farm Side with Gabrielle Doll. On Thursday April 20 – Spring Life, May 25 - Flower Power and June 22 - Tropic Heat with Arlene Enns. For $35, each night includes fun filled creative themes, appetizers and wine/beverage, instruction, supplies and instruction by talented accomplished artists, Gabrielle Doll and Arlene Enns from 6:30 – 9 pm. Wizard of Oz Community Musical from Wednesday, April 26 – Sunday, April 30. Still a few seats left for next upcoming community musical with Director David Klassen. Thank you to our community musical sponsor Salisbury House. Purchase
tickets online steinbachartscouncil.ca or call 204-346-1077. SPAC….the Steinbach Performing Arts Centre This facility will connect so many people from the region with concerts from classical to pop to rock to country music artists, grads, recitals, choir fests, conventions, etc. Huge economic spinoffs for local businesses… funders are showing positive responses too! Lots of excitement in the air….watch for the upcoming Facebook and website on this community project! Volunteers needed for Summer in the City Artist Tent – help the artists, meet the public and have fun! Calling all performers, visual artists and musicians for KR Barkman Park concerts on Main Street. Looking for singers, instrumentalists, groups and performers to perform in the park during June and July. Download application forms, deadline is Monday April 6. Taking applications for the KR Barkman Concerts in the Park series. These free concerts are proudly sponsored by Barkman Concrete Foundation. Early Bird Registrations: Summer Arts Day Camps - Join us this summer for our camps filled with music, dance, drama, visual arts, field trips, community outings, recreation and more! 2 Camps – ages 5-8 and ages 912. Sign up early from Tuesday, April 11 to Tuesday, May 9 and receive 10% off. Arts4Tots Preschool Program - Why are we unique? The most creative way to learn for ages 3 - 5 with specialists in dance, music, drama and visual arts! Sign up early from Tuesday, April 4 – Saturday, April 29 for $50 off. The Backyard Theatre Company Early Bird Registration We want you! Experience scripts, improv, character building, perform on stage and build your confidence! For Ages 5 – 17. Sign up from Wednesday, April 5 – Wednesday, April 26 to receive 15% off. Spring Classes: Pilates with Kimberley Koop from Monday, April 24 – Friday, June 9. Pilates Core Basic, Pilates on the Ball, Power Pilates and Foam Roller Pilates. Volunteers Needed! Join the Creative Youth Council! Plan the next Turnip the Music event at Randolph garage – call to join in the fun! Summer in the City Artist Tents or back stage, etc – fun and creativity guaranteed! New Hall Gallery Art Exhibit Forest Reflections, Watercolor by local artist, Don Hoeppner opens on Wednesday, April 19 at 7 pm. Public is invited, no admission. The Southeast Local Artists Exhibit runs in the Hallway Gallery until Tuesday, April 11.
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April 2017
Celebrating Over 20 Years of Service to Our Communities!
Dawson Trail Dispatch