EnRicher August 2020

CELEBRATING OVER 20 YEARS OF RICHER NEWS!

Volume 23 Issue 3

August 2020

Co-op Donates to Interpretive Historical Site

For six years, Co-op has been helping to build places for everyone including new funding for an Interpretive Historical Site and Market in Richer, MB. This year, Co-op is providing $68,000 to partner with the Richer Community Club to help create a place where visitors can take part in an interactive learning experience and learn about how indigenous, Métis and francophone people came together to create a community over 150 years ago.

“We are extremely excited to break ground on this new project in the Dawson Trail Park,” said Dan Guetre, a director with the Richer Community Club. “This generous support from Co-op will allow us to create areas in the community park dedicated to our unique past to use for both tourism and education.”

The project includes a reproduction “General Store”, grassland teepees, a Red River Cart, a pergola featuring a bronze plaque dedicated to community founders and builders, improved

lighting, a community fire pit and some natural landscaping.

Co-op Community Spaces has been developed to help protect, beautify and improve spaces across western Canada.

In 2020, the program is providing $1 million to 17 community projects from Vancouver Island to Manitoba. Since 2015, Co-op has donated $9.5 million to 132 projects.

“We’re excited to help fund the Interpretive Historical Site and Market through Co-op Community Spaces. Investing in our community is a value of our coop, and we’re proud to be part of this program that’s investing in projects to improve communities across western Canada,” said Henry Nickel, General Manager of Clearview Co-op.

“We’re happy to partner with community groups on projects like this. Together, we’re helping to build into and improve our communities for today and into the future.”

The giving program is administered by Federated Co-operatives

The project will include two grassland teepees, an authentic Rwed River Cart and a dedication pergola by the front gate.

Richer Community Club members and volunteers were on hand as Henry Nickel, General Manager of Clearview Coop (second from the left) visited the Dawson Trail Park with a big cheque in hand. The $68,000 is going towards creating a historical interpretive site in the park.

Limited on behalf of more than 160 independent retail co-operatives across western Canada that forms the Co-operative Retailing System.

For more information about Co-op Community Spaces or to view the complete list of 2020 funding recipients, visit communityspaces.ca.

SCAVENGER HUNT Your Chance to Win!

How well do you know the town of RICHER?!

It’s time to get to know your town a little bit better. There’s been a lot of changes and growth in our community and it’s time to celebrate and see how well you know it. The Richer Community Club is proud of our hard working summer students who have put together a scavenger hunt for all of the community to participate in.

How it’s going to work:

Step 1 - Like us on Facebook (Richer Community Club) and follow us on Instagram (@dawsontrailpark) Step 2 - Keep an eye out for a post of an item or clue to find, or come talk to our friendly summer staff at the park.

Step 3 - Take picture of that item and post it in the comments on Facebook or Instagram.

Step 4 - Automatically get entered into draw to win

FIREWORKS package valued at $400!

All you need to participate is a camera and community spirit.

Stay tuned… the first item will be posted on August 5th.

The Scavenger Hunt ends on August 26th at midnight.

Please respect private property while participating. Further, please follow provincial guidelines for “social distancing” when interacting with student staff at the park and around the community when solving the clues.

Premier Tech Multiplex

– Businesses Are Part of Our Community

The Premier Tech MultiPlex is now up and running with the exception of a little bit of landscaping. The modular skateboard equipment is set up in the space along with some basketball hoops.

The Richer Community Club recently hosted a volunteer appreciation event for the dozens of volunteers who worked tirelessly on the project.

We would like to recognize the

other facet to helping this project come to life.

As the name suggests, Premier Tech, one of the community’s largest employers, has made a long term financial commitment to the project amounting to $100,000.

They are one of many reasons this project was able to be pursued.

The RM of Ste. Anne committed $125,000 out of their Hydro Bipole Fund, and the Province of Manitoba committed $75,000.

TC Pipelines ($10,000), Caisse Financial ($3,500), BSI Insurance ($2,000), Jules Godard ($1,000) and even CarBque ($200) all dug deep to help create a budget to work with.

When we were putting the project together we realized that even with the budget we raised, other costs would need to be addressed. This is where we realized how willing local businesses were willing to work with the community to make this effort a reality.

The original estimate for the structure was written up in 2017.

We needed a figure to set a goal.

Unfortunately, steel prices rose dramatically over the 3 year period. By the time we completed the fundraising, the actual cost of the structure increased. At first we were a bit disheartened. We did not realized that the manufacturer of Diamond Shelters, Dueck Mechanical in Whitemouth, had a surprise for us. They literally knock almost $50,000 off of the price in order to meet our budget. They jokingly called it the “Good Guy Discount”. Further, they, along with another local company, RVP, provided all the heavy equipment needed to erect the structure… scissor lifts, telehandlers, excavators and more were only a phone call away.

Roger Godard was out there with his backhoe, Al Durocher committed his skidsteer, Pattyn

Ventures not only brought some equipment to the site but volunteered to be the general contractor for free. S. Lenton Mowing and TriClad Designs were also on site. Fern’s Craning knocked off a huge chunk of their hourly rate to lift the top truss sections.

Then we had many of the local business and volunteers show up with lunches! And to top it off, Burnell’s Food Plus, who usually sponsors the rodeo, gave their donation anyways and it was put towards thanking the volunteers.

As the saying goes “it takes a village to raise a child”, this just shows you… it takes an entire community and beyond, showing their generosity, to erect a roof over an outdoor rink and create the largest pavilion in eastern Manitoba!

From The Pastor’s Desk...

Happiness, Finding It

By Pastor Ben As the opening line may I suggest that everybody wants to be happy. It seems there is an unwritten perception that all of us should be happy, all the time. That may be unrealistic, but worth pursuing.

On Canada Day at Richer Park there were many faces beaming with happiness. The faces showed that they were feeling a unique sense of satisfaction or happiness that the community of Richer celebrated Canada’s Day, 150th birthday. The Richer Community Club expended a great deal of energy to organize the event which ran so seamlessly. Their energy contributed largely to the smiles and happiness visible on people’s faces.

We should also thank members of the Richer Fellowship Church for their willingness to volunteer their time in packaging the children’s packages, barbequing and wrapping nearly 700 hot dogs and handing them out to each one that

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The EnRicher is published as a service by the Richer Community Club Inc.

desired one. They also handed out as many popcorn bags or more than hot dogs. Now as much as this event brought happiness to a lot of faces, it was only a fleeting happiness. It was the event that brought well founded happiness, it was an introduction to the next event. May I remind each one of us that happiness also contributes to better health for our bodies.

Happiness contributes to releasing endorphins, a neurochemical, into our bodies.

As humans we were created to have a desire to be happy, to find fulfillment and joy. Happiness is an opportunity to learn to be content - content in who we are, where we live, and what we have. The writer of the text of Proverbs 3:13 says this: “Blessed are those who find wisdom, those who gain understanding.” The word “Blessed” is a reference to being happy, not superficially, or in a giddy sense. It is a settled sense of contentment we so often find elusive.

This contentment gives us a feeling of peace and joy, which at times may be overwhelming. Blaise Pascal wrote regarding our longing for happiness: “This he tries in vain to fill with everything around him, seeking in things that are, though none can help since this infinite abyss can be filled only with an

Museum Upgrades The Dawson Trail Museum will be closed during the month of August due to continued renovations. The museum committee is very thankful for the grant approval of $13,368 from Manitoba Sustainable Communities Program Project where they matched them dollar for dollar towards the electrical upgrade in the museum. This project is very much needed and will see a tremendous change on how they will accommodate the visitors and members of the community.

The project will be finished by July 31.

infinite and immutable object.”

In other words God Himself. It is when we come into relationship with God we find true happiness that we crave for. At Richer Fellowship Church, 50 Southeast Drive we can help in your spiritual and emotional needs. Each Sunday morning at 10:30 am you are invited to join us for Sunday Worship.

At that same time you may also catch us on YouTube Livestream or on 87.9fm in our parking lot in your vehicle. Pastor Ben invites you to take another genuine look at Jesus and a meaningful relationship with Him. Hope you are having a good summer.

MARK YOUR

CALENDAR!

Richer Community Club meeting... August 12 7:30 pm. LUD Hall or alternative, Dawson Trail Park Picnic shelter.

Saturday, August 8 and 22: Recycling Collection. 9:30 am - 12 noon. 1st stop Burnell’s, 2nd stop Richer Inn, 3rd stop Tibeauville, 4th stop Timberline, with the 5th stop at the Richer Husky where the recyclers will remain until noon. Recycling can also be dropped off in the recycling shed located in the Richer Husky parking lot at your convenience.

The Dawson Trail Museum will host their weekly Farmers Market every Saturday from 10 am to 2 pm on the museum grounds.

SPMF Bingo! Monday evenings at the Richer Young at Hearts Club. Back up and running. Please visit their Facebook page for rules on who and how many can participate due to social distancing regulations.

Friday, August 28: Deadline for submissions for the September issue of the EnRicher.

Richer service groups are working hard to create events in the community within Provincial guidelines. Please have patience as we navigate the rules and regulations on the path back to being one of the most active communities in southeast Manitoba!

Summer Students Working Hard for Richer The Richer Community Club has three summer students this year working and maintaining the Dawson Trail Park. If you are interested in borrowing sports equipment they can accommodate you. Currently they have soccer balls, basketballs, softball equipment and even a scooter to lend out. Feel free to ask any of the student workers at the park.

Further, the Manitoba Metis Federation has funded a summer student at the museum for the summer months. The museum board is grateful with the extra helping hands at the site.