The Tim Hortons Smile Cookie Campaign is launching this week and another local charity is going to be benefitting from the fundraiser. Over the years, The Pas Tim Hortons has seen local support for the Smile Cookie Campaign grow.
“We are launching off our Tim Hortons Smile Cookie Campaign starting April 29 to May 5,” said The Pas Tim Hortons Franchise Owner Kathryn Sanderson. “Over the years this campaign has been growing and well received. The Pas, R.M. of Kelsey and Opaskwayak Cree Nation residents have been huge supporters of it.

Students from Margaret Barbour Collegiate Institute (MBCI) who excelled at the Northern Manitoba Skills Competition, advanced to the provincial level at the Manitoba Skills and Development Competition that took place at the end of April. Four students had advanced to compete provincially at Red River College Polytech in Winnipeg.
Zoey Wright entered in photography; Namirembe Afatsawo entered in public speaking; Tyler Atkins entered in small engines and Sandra Lucic competed in hairstyling. All four did an incredible job of representing northern Manitoba students in these skill areas and once excelled to winning gold.
Namirembe Afatsawo, a MBCI grade 12 student, won gold in the public speaking category. Afatsawo has been competing in this category for a few years now.

The Dolyna Dancers wrapped up their dance season this past weekend (April 20) with their year-end show at the SVRSS Gymnasium with a great performance of their dancers to end the season. 

SVRSS students Nolan Mangin, Arden Baskier and Sammy Jo Moshenko all returned home with bronze medals from their respective competitions at the Skills Manitoba Competition that took place in Winnipeg on April 11...

The start of the golfing season in Gilbert Plains will be delayed due to flooding.

According to Gilbert Plains Country Club general manager Scott McCallum, there was about 2-1/2 feet of water flooding the course.

“Water was coming in the back door of the clubhouse. We’ve got areas of the clubhouse that were flooded. Our whole maintenance shed, our new hall, that had water in it. And that’s just speaking of the buildings and the equipment, never mind the golf course that has to be repaired,” he said. “I’m not going to downplay the magnitude of this. It’s a daunting task. Sometimes it can get you down, because you work so hard on a small budget to make that golf course as beautiful as we can. And for events like this to happen, it’s definitely difficult.”

Working in the country club’s favour is the dedication of its board of directors, as well as the many volunteers and staff, to making the course look its best.

“The municipality has been absolutely unbelievable in supporting us. The provincial government, for that matter, has been out to see the damages and we’re really hoping they can get behind us and help us with it,” McCallum said. “We’re stepping in the right direction. We’ve just got to execute and get the golfers out on the golf course.”

Clean up will be an ongoing project, McCallum said. The focus right now, he added, is getting the facility open and golfers out on the course.

“But clean up is going to be an ongoing endeavour, for sure. There’s some things that might not affect the golfers that have to be done and those will be put in priority and we’ll deal with that as we go,” he said. “But as of right now, we’re just focusing on trying to get the fairways and the greens and everything cleaned up and ready for the golfers. And, obviously, we’ve got some pretty big icebergs that we’ve got to get rid of off the golf course, as well.”

McCallum said about seven or eight holes have been affected by the flooding. But the goal is still to open the course in early May.

To celebrate the upcoming golf season, a Tee Off to Summer, presented by the Battle For the Belts, will be held, May 4. The evening will feature the Duelling Keys, with prizes and food available.

Tickets are available by calling McCallum at 204-648-7834.

The Parkland Chamber of Commerce hosted its annual State of the District address, Apr. 16, at the Watson Arts Centre.

The meeting was a chance for local municipalities and sponsors a chance to share what was happening in their respective districts.

Speakers included Greg Crisanti of Tim Hortons, Alexander Lavoie of Rural Manitoba Economic Development and Mike Csversko of Fusion Credit Union, as well as Charlene Gulak on behalf of Dauphin MLA Ron Kostyshyn, Jim Manchur, Reeve of the RM of Gilbert Plains, Lyle Morran, Mayor of

Grandview Municipality, Rm of Dauphin Reeve, Ernie Sirski and Robert Brunel, Mayor of the Municipality of Ste. Rose.

Chamber executive director Stephen Chychota said the event went well.

“It was a very full agenda, but we were able to get through it and make sure everyone had time to get back to work or do the networking thing after,” he said. “But it was very good. Really great presentations by the sponsors that were wanting to partner up on this. And then our four municipalities that were able to share some updates today. It was great to hear from them on the developments that they’re having, where things are headed in their municipalities. It just paints a really good picture for what’s happening in the region, which is what this program is all about.”

Dauphin MLA and Manitoba Agriculture Minister Ron Kostyshyn rose to deliver a member’s statement in the Legislature, Apr. 16.

The statement was dedicated to recognizing the invaluable contributions to Michief language revitalization by Grace Ledoux Zoldy.

Check out the full statement and more in this week's Dauphin Herald!

Dauphin and the Parkland figured prominently in the second annual Tourism Awards Winnipeg/Manitoba, last week.

Tourism Dauphin won a Marketing Campaign of the Year Award for rural Manitoba for it’s Adventure From Here On Out initiative, while Assessippi Ski Hill and Resort was named the rural winner of the Business of the Year - Large.

Finally, former Dauphin resident Doug Stephen of WOW Hospitality Concepts received an Award of Distinction for his outstanding contributions to some of Winnipeg’s best culinary institutions and the community at large.

“It feels very rewarding to get recognition for all the work we have done. We’re a small team and we have a small committee with some volunteers and we’re a small community,” said Dauphin Economic Development manager Martijn van Luijn, who accepted the award on behalf of the community.

Get a full rundown of all the awards and more in this week's Dauphin Herald!

Fusion Credit Union has announced a patronage allocation of $525,000 to members, plus $784,000 in cash payouts to select members, for a total of $1.3 million in total returns in 2024, based on 2023 results.

The news came at Fusion’s annual general meeting held Wednesday in Brandon.

Find out more in this week’s Review.

The burning down of the history Gateway Hotel in The Pas back in 2017, is one that everyone remembers, but one person in particular will always remember that fateful night. Dennis Gabriel Charlette was in the Gateway Hotel the night it burned down and played an epic role in getting people out of the building and to safety. He was one of three people who were presented with the insignia of the Governor General’s Commendation for Bravery.
It is a pin created to mark the 50th anniversary of the Decorations for Bravery Program and is bestowed to those who show selflessness in perilous situations. The pin also is an emblem to recognize the significance of such actions and express the gratitude of Canada. It was established in 1993, by His Excellency the Right Honourable Ramon Hnatyshyn, to broaden the Decoration for Bravery Program.
“I got it for what I did at the Gateway Hotel,” said Dennis Gabriel Charlette. “I was on my way to go guiding the day after it happened. I had stayed at my uncle Patrick’s place at the Gateway Hotel the night before and that’s the night it caught fire.