To the Editor,
As a community, we all share a responsibility to care for the animals who rely on us — from beloved family pets to the strays who need a second chance. That’s why it’s frustrating to see a lack of collaboration between the Russell Veterinary Clinic/Vet Board and Passion 4 Paws. When two organizations share the same goals, working together only makes sense.
Passion 4 Paws has made a tremendous difference in this community. Their volunteers have stepped up to rescue, foster, and rehome countless animals, often using their own time and resources. Since Passion 4 Paws was established, they’ve generated over $13,888.70 in veterinary services and dog food purchases — directly supporting the clinic while improving animal welfare across the region. This does not include more than $2,800 in rent paid while Passion 4 Paws volunteers cared not only for their own rescue animals but also for animals boarded at the vet clinic from the time they were there until they were evicted in June 2025.
Even after being asked to vacate the vet clinic kennels, Passion 4 Paws continue to bring all animals to the clinic for vaccinations, spaying, and neutering — and even cleaned the kennel building, which had been left in poor condition before Passion 4 Paws began using it. That kind of dedication speaks volumes about their commitment to both animal welfare and the local clinic.
At the same time, the Russell Vet Board has asked the public to support it’s one annual fundraiser, yet it has also turned away a steady stream of potential income. Passion 4 Paws had offered to lease space on Vet Board property and bring additional revenue through monthly rent and veterinary service use. However, the Vet Board passed a resolution stating it “will not permit private businesses or organizations to develop, lease, or otherwise utilize any portion of the Vet Board property.”
(Municipal records also show that the Municipality of Russell Binscarth will be approving an $11,000 levy to the Vet Board — an increase over the previous year.)

Read the whole letter on pages 4 & 6 in this week's Russell Banner.

Living Legacy Community Foundation was awarded a grant from the Thomas Sill Manitoba Fund for a project that would enhance an area of the community. After some discussions with different community stakeholders, the need for furniture replacement at the Russell Personal Care Home stood out as a need that would benefit the region for many years.
As the funds from the Thomas Sill Manitoba Fund was not quite $23,000 and the estimated total project was over $43,000, Living Legacy granted the balance to complete the project.
The Thomas Sill Manitoba Fund has provided a grant for 2026 to Living Legacy Community Foundation to be put toward another community project, yet to be determined.
Living Legacy Community continues to be one of the best kept secrets in the area. The Foundation has existed since 1977 and since its inception has grown to over 1.3 million in endowed funds. These funds give monies annually back to the community. Grants awarded in 2025 were given to Binscarth Park and Pool $3,450; George P. Buleziuk Centre $10,000; North Western Marquette Festival $1,500; Russell & Area Heritage & Arts $2,000, Russell & District Regional Library $3,000; Russell Minor Hockey $2,250; Yachminka Ukrainian Dance $5,000 for a total of $27,200 plus $1,800 in post secondary scholarships to 2nd year students. These grants come from unrestricted funds. Organizations that have endowed monies each receive an annual payment.
With starting an endowment fund, community organizations are securing annual funds for future projects. It is recognized that many times, groups are struggling for funds for immediate use. An endowment fund gives back funds from the endowed monies annually. In 2025, LLCF disbursed an average of 4% to each group or $21,000.
If you or someone you know likes to see money going back to community projects, please consider joining the board.

The five local women enrolled in The Youth Employment and Skills Strategy (YESS) program - (seen on the roof of the building above) left- right: Kaitlyn Hatt, Chantelle Wishira, Isabelle Wishira, Lisa Kitchemonia and Jaz Brazeau, spent the last three weeks of their 17-week program applying the practical construction and trade skills they’ve learned.

By now, you may have seen a fancy new warming shack at the outdoor rink between the Never Better studio and the Leisure Centre on the north end of Russell’s Main Street.
The much needed warm up building at the outdoor rink has a bit of a story behind it - who built it and how it came to be.
Duane Klimack, who taught at Major Pratt school for decades, has now taken on a new project, one that incorporates both his teaching skills and his knowledge of construction.
Here’s what the government has to say about their program which is now being offered by Assiniboine Community College
“The Youth Employment and Skills Strategy (YESS) is a Government of Canada initiative that delivers 16 programs, including Canada Summer Jobs through a network of 12 federal departments, agencies, and Crown corporations.
The Strategy is designed to support diverse youth (aged 15 to 30) to become job-ready through work experience, training, skills development and supports that allow them to successfully transition into diverse sectors of the labour market. Through its wide range of programs, the strategy invests in young people to build a strong Canadian economy while ensuring we continue to support those who may struggle to get ahead.”

Get the whole story on the front page of this week's Russell Banner.

For the last 11 years, the Major Pratt Trojans high school hockey teams have donned pink jerseys in their Fight Against Cancer fundraising game and donated a grand total of $210,866 towards the construction of the Manitoba CancerCare unit in Russell. During that time, the Roblin/Grandview/Gilbert Plains Raiders have been their opponent on numerous occasions.
Check out pics from the event in this week’s Review.

Swan River RCMP have issued an arrest warrant in connection with a fatal collision which occured last summer.

Police searching for Matthew Govereau, a 37-year-old man from Winnipeg, in connection with a head-on collision that killed three people on July 1, 2025, on Hwy. 10, near Road 224 North.

Govereau was driving when his vehicle veered over the center line of the highway and struck a parked vehicle on the opposite shoulder. A 42-year-old man and a 31-year-old woman, who were in the parked vehicle, were both transported to hospital where they succumbed to their injuries. 

A 29-year-old man, who was a passenger in Govereau’s vehicle, was also transported to hospital where he was later pronounced dead.

Following approval from Manitoba Prosecution Service, 18 charges were sworn against Govereau on January 20, 2026, relating to the collision, as well as the weapons and drugs recovered from the vehicle following the collision.

The charges include three counts of impaired driving causing death, three counts of dangerous operation of a vehicle causing death, three ounts of careless driving, possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose, possessing a prohibited weapon, two counts of weapon possession contrary to order, possession of property obtained by crime, three counts of possession of drugs for the purpose of trafficking, and possession of a controlled substance.

Efforts to locate Govereau have been unsuccessful. His last known address is in Birch River, but he is known to regularly travel throughout the province, including the City of Winnipeg.

If seen, do not to approach him.

Anyone with information on his whereabouts is encouraged to contact Swan River RCMP at 204-734-4686 or 204-734-3454, Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-8477, or leave a secure tip online at www.manitobacrimestoppers.com.

Another well-deserving citizen in the tri-community has been presented with the Sovereign’s Medal for Volunteers. May Yvonne Blake was recently presented this prestigious award in her home, surrounded by local dignitaries, family and close friends.
“I was born in 1936 and am the oldest of a family of nine,” said Blake. “Our family moved to Wanless when I was three years old. We then moved to Ontario, but returned in 1961. After further travels, I came home to stay in 2002.
“I started volunteering when my children went to school. I was involved with the PTA, Brownies, Cubs and Scouts, Air Cadets, worked with special needs children, St. Paul’s Personal Care Home and the Legion Ladies Auxiliary for many years.

Youth in The Pas now have an opportunity to get a jump start on learning about serving the community and potentially a career as a firefighter. The Pas Fire Department is facilitating a Junior Firefighter Program to start in the spring.
“The Junior Firefighter Program is the lifeblood of our future, designed to give young people a disciplined, hands-on introduction to the fire service without putting them in the immediate path of danger,” said The Pas Fire Department Fire Chief Byron Shangraw. “It’s a blend of classroom theory and practical drill-ground training where these kids learn everything from rolling large diameter hose (LDH), mastering complex knots, to the fundamentals of fire chemistry and first aid. It’s a mentorship pipeline built to instill the core values of integrity, teamwork, and civic responsibility, where we meet on the second Tuesday of every month.

It seems hard to believe that 30 years ago, Louisiana Pacific (LP) Building Solutions made the strategic move to build and open a mill in the Swan Valley. It was a huge economic driving force for the area that brought employment and new opportunities. Over the years. LP Swan Valley has transitioned, but remains a vital entity to the area.
“The mill pressed its first board on January 21, 1996, at 1:02 a.m.,” said LP Building Solutions Senior Corporate Communications Specialist Jen Bowman. “Since then, it has grown into a key part of LP’s operations—transitioning from OSB production to LP® SmartSide® Trim & Siding in 2015 and, in 2022, becoming the company’s only facility to manufacture LP® SmartSide® Cedar Shakes.”
LP Swan Valley has several highlights to look back upon and celebrate along with its 30th anniversary. It remains one of the area’s largest employers. LP Swan Valley supports more than 225 team members and around 400 local contract loggers and haulers. Nearly half the workforce has been with LP for over 10 years—including Plant Manager Chris Eisner, who started as a contractor in 1995 during the mill’s construction.
LP has invested approximately $80M CAD into the operations over the last five years alone. In 2024, LP reported $29 billion in net sales. The mill has reached major safety milestones, including 1 million incident-free hours in 2020 and 500,000 hours as of December 10, 2025.
Today, the mill produces LP® SmartSide® Trim, Siding, and Panel, Cedar Shakes, Soffit, LP® ProStruct® Flooring with SmartFinish®, and LP® ProStruct® Roof Sheathing with SilverTech®.
LP Swan Valley continues to provide community support. More than $70,000 has been donated to local schools and nonprofits in the past five years, with continued involvement in community events and initiatives.
LP Swan Valley has success in attracting and retaining employees long-term. The current plant manager, Chris Eisner, has the unique experience of being a part of LP Swan Valley as it was being built.
“I actually started at LP Swan Valley before it was LP Swan Valley,” said Eisner. “I worked as a contractor during the mill’s construction, and watching a mill of that size take shape in a small town was incredible. At that point in my career, I hadn’t experienced anything on that scale, and the magnitude of the project really stood out as it all came together.
“When the mill officially opened in 1995, I joined as a labourer—even before the first board was pressed. At the time, it was just another job, but over the years, it became much more. Looking back now, it’s interesting to see how everything came full circle, from construction to start-up and eventually into a leadership role.”
Eisner has seen growth and transition at LP Swan Valley over the years. Those developments have created long-term success for the mill.
“The growth has been significant,” said Eisner. “When we first started, we had about 120 team members. Today, we have around 225, which is something I’m extremely proud of—especially given the broader changes the community has experienced over the years.
“One of the biggest transitions came in 2015, when we converted the mill from the production of Oriented Strand Board (OSB) to siding. It was a busy but exciting time. Seeing LP reinvest in the mill and in our people meant a lot. Many of us had been part of the original start-up, so there was tremendous energy around learning new processes and adapting to new ways of operating. That transition really reinvigorated the team and positioned the mill for long-term success.”
LP Swan Valley is looking to the future, focusing on the mill, its operations and employees. As it moves forward, it plans to continue playing a vital role in building the Swan Valley area and community.
“Looking ahead, the focus remains on continuing to protect and invest in our people, our operations and our community,” said Eisner. “LP Swan Valley is a close-knit team with a strong work ethic, and keeping everyone aligned around shared goals is key to sustaining the high level of performance we’ve achieved.
“We’re also proud to see second-generation team members joining the mill—and, in some cases, even third generations through our logging contractors. Building on that legacy while continuing to improve, innovate and grow responsibly is what will carry us into the future.”

The Thunderhill Ski Area held the grand opening, ribbon cutting ceremony of the Co-op Community Magic Carpet ride trail this past Saturday (Jan. 31). This exciting addition to the ski hill makes learning to ski easier, and more fun for their youngest riders and beginners. Pictured here, the first users of the Magic Carpet ride test things out. (INSET) Pictured (left to right) Thunderhill Ski Hill President Curtis Hamilton, Town of Swan River Councillor Duane Whyte, Municipality of Swan Valley West Reeve Bill Gade, Swan Valley Consumers Co-op Marketing and Community Engagement Manager Patti Henkelman, Swan Valley Consumers Co-op Board representative Jacquie Mydynski-Arp, Swan River MLA Rick Wowchuk, and Thunderhill Ski Area Manager Karen Nemetchek officially open the hill’s newest addition.

Back Left- Right: Bruce Christopher, Alan Nernberg, Robert Muir, Alan Tataryn, Chris Radford, (Front) Sandy Ross and Lenore Fenton.

For more than two decades, Russell’s Take a Year Off Lottery has been one of the major fundraisers for area facilities and projects. At the same time, it’s one of the most talked about lotteries in our area.
Total payout to organizations:$1,287,605
The organizations below received the following:
- Russell Swimming Pool - $335,458
- Russell Memorial Multiplex – $350,458
- George P. Buleziuk – $320,458
- Russell Golf Course – $40,025
- Russell Curling Rink – $6,380
- Field of Dreams – $66,745
- Playground - $8,000
- Russell & District Library – $58,745
- Russell Flying Club – $36,085
- Russell Lots-A-Tots - $86,050
- Binscarth Park & Pool - $50,000
- Binscarth Lil Bloomer Learning Patch $26,800
- Prairie Arts cARTel - $5,000
- Russell Area Heritage & Arts Centre - $5,000