Week after week, the Chase the Ace lottery has been the talk of the town. The talk changed to cheers as Marilyn Lee took home the jackpot of $17,140 after her name was drawn and the number she’d picked matched the envelope containing the Ace of Spades.

With almost a year since the lottery started this time, it’s been a bit of a long haul and the lines showed it. As the jackpot piled up, week after week, the lines at Twin Valley Co-op Gas Bar grew as people started to line up before 7 am every Monday morning for a chance at the tickets that went on sale at noon. On the Friday night of the draw, people started lining up at noon outside the bar doors at the Asessippi Inn to get in on the 30 tickets reserved for pre-sale there. But it wasn’t always that way, as Chad Preston, one of the event organizers pointed out.

“When we first started with the presale format, there were weeks when we were lucky to see 20 tickets sold, so that’s why we initially went with the 200 tickets,” he said. But that’s all changing now. “We’re reworking the rules and the licensing so we’ll now have unlimited tickets so the long lines will be a thing of the past.” As that might take a while, Preston is thinking that it’s possible the game won’t resume until early in the new year. But that remains to be seen - as does the location of ticket sales at this point. There will also be a few changes in terms of benefactors of the draw.

Read the full story in this week's Russell Banner!

Community Remembrance Day services returned to being held indoors for the first time since 2019.
Prior to the service in Swan River on Nov. 11, a parade – featuring RCMP members, Cadets, Swan River Fire Department, Canadian Rangers, the Swan Valley Stampeders and community members – marched from the Veterans Community Hall to the Cenotaph near Taylor School to lay four wreaths – to honour the Air Force, Navy, Army and RCMP.
The outdoor ceremony continued indoors at the Veterans Community Hall.
Royal Canadian Legion (RCL) Branch No. 39 President Neil Griffith opened the ceremony by requesting to March on the Colours. O Canada was sang before trumpeter David Gnida performed the Last Post, followed by a minute of silence, the Rouse, and the Act of Remembrance. Griffith also recognized those from the Swan River Legion who have passed on, which included Maurice Roberge and Brent MacDuff.
After the Deposit of Colours, those in attendance observed 24 wreaths laid by Veterans, local government members, RCMP, the fire department, service clubs, and families honouring their relatives who fought.
Pastor Bob Lewis led this year’s service, opening with the song In Flanders Field from the Taylor School Choir.
“Beauty has a cost,” he said. “We see through the poppy, to the men and women who gave and sacrificed their time, their energy, their lives.
“Today is set aside for those living icons, the men and women of the First War, and then that Second War, and then the Korean War, and the peacekeeping missions, and in Afghanistan and around the world today. We do look to them for their knowledge and wisdom, and as living icons, we look through them to see humanity. We see us, and that capacity within us to give of ourselves, our capacity for sacrifice.
“We have not been able to gather together on this day, these past two turbulent years,” Lewis continued. “Remembrance Day is the only day of the year that we as Canada gather together in one room with all of our differences, political, religious, ethnic, cultural. Remembrance Day is not about us. This service looks beyond this month, this day, this hour, because of the serge, the poppy and the veteran.”
Following a Prayer of Remembrance, the ceremony concluded with the singing of God Save the King, and with the March off of the Colours.
And, until the next Remembrance Day, we will continue to remember them.

The Community Foundation of Swan Valley (CFSV) recommenced their annual gala for the first time in three years, hosting a full crowd of 132 in the Veterans Community Hall on Saturday evening (Nov. 12). The event produced a net profit of approximately $6,000 for the CFSV.

The Manitoba Junior Hockey League’s MGEU West Division is getting tighter with each passing week.

The Dauphin Kings find themselves in a tie for second place with the Swan Valley Stampeders, with 26 points each, five behind the division-leading OCN Blizzard, one ahead of the Waywayseecappo Wolverines and two up on the Virden Oil Capitals. The Neepawa Titans bring up the rear with 18 points, six back of Virden.

The Kings earned a split in a pair of home games over the weekend, dropping a 5-2 decision to Virden on Saturday, before scoring a 3-2 overtime victory over the Winkler Flyers, Sunday.

Virden led 1-0 entering the third period and scored four times to break the game open.

On Sunday, after killing off a Winkler power play in overtime, Owen Wareham scored on a Kings power play to lift Dauphin to the victory.

Considering Saturday’s contest was a four-point game against a divisional opponent, it was a disappointing result, said Kings head coach and general manager Doug Hedley.

Since a 5-0 win over the Wolverines, Oct. 31, Hedley feels the Kings have gotten away from their game.

“And started doing more individual stuff and it carried over into Virden’s game. I don’t think we had the jump. We might have thought it was going to be easier than it was. We didn’t really play fast,” he said.

The Flyers are a big club and have some speed, Hedley stated.

“They can play,” he said.

The Kings were set back on their heels in the first period, thanks in part to four minor penalties. The Flyers controlled the second period, but the Kings, Hedley said, didn’t break.

Get the full rundown in this week's Dauphin Herald!

Dauphin’s new city council held its inaugural meeting, Nov. 6, after those successful in the recent municipal election took their oaths of office.

Forming council are mayor David Bosiak and councillors Kathy Bellemare, Randy Daley, Christian Laughland, Ted Rea, Devin Shtykalo and Steve Sobering.

Deputy-mayor

Under provisions of the Manitoba Municipal Act and the city’s organizational bylaw, council elected Laughland to serve as deputy-mayor. Laughland took on the role of mayor for the remainder of the last term following the death of Allen Dowhan in September 2021, but decided to step down and run for a council seat this past October.

Youth councillor

Under provisions of the Municipal Act, council appointed Emma Fox as a youth member on council, effective immediately to the end of June 2023. A youth member must be less than 18 years of age or enrolled as a full-time student in school and can participate in council’s deliberations, but is not counted for the purpose of determining a quorum or deciding a vote of council.

Signing authority

Council voted to assign city signing authority to Bosiak, Bellemare and Laughland as council representatives along with city manager Sharla Griffiths, deputy city manager Lisa Gaudet and director of Finance Scott Carr.

Commitment

Council passed a motion acknowledging the “efforts of its predecessors to establish and grow Dauphin into the thriving city it is today”, and commending “the local community groups and organizations that, through the hard work of their staff and volunteers, accomplish great things.” The motion also committed councillors to, “working with each other, municipal staff, the community and all other stakeholders to build upon the foundation of past successes to create a bright and prosperous future for Dauphin and the Parkland.”

Councillor privileges

The meeting closed with each councillor taking a few minutes to express their thanks for those who supported through the campaign and at the ballot box.

Dauphin’s Countryfest is getting ready for another successful edition of Canada’s longest running country music festival in 2023.

Last week, Countryfest organizers announced the first round of artists who will perform at Selo Ukraina between June 30 and July 2, 2023.

John Fogerty, Dierks Bentley, Walker Hayes, Tenille Townes, Tim Hicks, James Barker Band, Robyn Ottolini, Jason McCoy, Tim and The Glory Boys and DJ Johnny Rivex have all been contracted to perform throughout the weekend.

“We are thrilled to announce one of the most well-rounded lineups we have ever done,” said festival general manager Rob Waloschuk. “There is truly an artist for every Countryfest fan.”

Fogerty is best known as the lead vocalist and frontman of Creedence Clearwater Revival. He embarked on a highly successful solo career in 1973. Fogerty has been named by Rolling Stone magazine as one of the greatest singers and guitarists of all time.

Bentley has been pegged as “one of Country music’s most enviable brands, equal parts affability and authenticity” and boasts more than 6.4 billion overall digital streams. He has amassed nominations from the ACMs, CMAs, Billboard Music Awards, and Grammy’s and is currently nominated for CMA Male Vocalist of the Year, Single of the Year and Music Video of the Year.”

Hayes, from Mobile, Alabama, is best known for tracks such as “You Broke Up With Me” and “Fancy Like.” He plays guitar and piano, and is known for his distinct voice. He’s toured with the likes of Kelsea Ballerini, Old Dominion, and Dan and Shay.

Townes is an award-winning singer, songwriter and musician and a 14-time Canadian Country Music Award winner, including being the reigning CCMA Entertainer of the Year.

All four performers will appear on the Club Regent Event Centre Main Stage.

Organizers also announced that Countryfest goers who purchase their tickets prior to Jan. 6, 2023, will also be able to enjoy the Thursday Kick-Off Party with The Road Hammers and Honeymoon Suite for free.

Weekend passes, VIP passes, camping and seating go on sale Nov. 21st at 10 a.m. and can be purchased online at www.countryfest.ca or by calling toll-free to 1-800-361-7300.

A program aimed at helping Dauphin residents get in the habit of securing their properties was a great success according to organizer Lisa Gaudet.

The 9 PM Routine - a municipally-led campaign featuring nightly email reminders to secure property by removing valuables from vehicles, locking vehicle doors, locking all exterior doors and turning on an outside light - wrapped up Nov. 6, the deputy city manager said.

“Our social media analytics show that we reached more than 23,000 people, so that is well above and beyond the majority of any other post we have republished on our social media,” Gaudet said. “There was really lively engagement. We had lots of people sharing, liking, commenting. It really helped us to spread the message.”

Gaudet added other municipalities have reached out to her hoping to duplicate the campaign.

On top of the nightly email messages, the campaign involved the local RCMP detachment with officers scouring neighbourhoods and leaving calling cards when they found unsecured property.

“I’m supposed to be having a meeting with (RCMP) next week, just to review from their perspective what the impact was of the campaign. But by all accounts, they felt that occurrences were reduced,” Gaudet said. “So it was very successful. I think we really needed positive messaging. It was the kind of messaging that brings us all together and lets people know that the city is listening. And it was kind of a fun catchy campaign just to connect the community and to connect the city and the RCMP with our residents.”

Given the importance of being aware of crimes of opportunity, Gaudet said the information used in the campaign will be placed on the city’s website in the coming weeks as part of a community safety. It is also quite likely that in the future the campaign will be resurrected, Gaudet added.

“Just as a refresher, possibly in the spring. Because the incidence of mischief, people roaming at night and getting into people’s vehicles and backyards, generally increases in the spring and during the summer,” she said. “So it’s probably a good time to resurrect the campaign at that time. So that’s something we would look at.”

Members of Roblin Branch #24 of the Royal Canadian Legion and the community took time to remember those who made the ultimate sacrifice for their country at Friday’s Remembrance Day service at the Community Centre.

The service, which was emceed by Branch #24 President Wes Smigelsky, above at right, offered some poignant reminders of those who died serving their nation.

Check out our tribute in this week’s Review to find out more.

The Manitoba government is implementing a health human resource action plan moving to end mandating overtime by adding 2,000 health-care professionals with an investment of $200 million to retain, train and recruit health-care staff across the province

“Manitobans, and all Canadians, expect their leaders to come together to solve issues that matter most to them. We are listening and we are taking action,” said Premier Heather Stefanson in announcing the plan.

Read more in this week’s Review.

It’s taken longer than everyone on the board of Roblin Minor Baseball expected but work has finally begun on the long-awaited Currey Park concession.

Along with the demolition of the old and derelict canteen building on the site, construction crews got footings and grade beams poured and finalized before winter set in.

Read all about in this week’s issue.