With the coming of a New Year just around the corner, one can’t help but also be thinking about Northern Manitoba Trappers’ Festival (NMTF). The NMTF Arts and Craft Show is open for vendors to register online. There are a few different things to be aware of with this year’s NMTF Arts and Craft Show, one in particular is its new location.
“The biggest change for the NMTF Arts and Craft Show is that this year we will be at UCN,” said NMTF Arts Craft Show Director Leah Yelland. “Also, we're doing registration for $15 a table. Another new addition, is that we received upgrades to our website, which allows us accept online payments easier.”      
The rules and regulations for the NMTF Arts and Craft Show are the same as last year.

The Town of The Pas held a council meeting on December 5 and a Special Meeting for the Budget and Strategic Plan on December 11. Members of council participated in the Association of Manitoba Municipalities’ (AMM) Fall Convention at the end of November. Council had the opportunity to meet with the new provincial government and discuss some of the issues in the north.
“Our key goals for being at AMM’s Fall Convention were to address some of our challenges in the north and some potential solutions,” said Town of The Pas Mayor Andre Murphy. “We were able to talk about the housing, infrastructure, taxation, community safety and funding issues with the appropriate ministers. It was great and allowed us an opportunity to network and get to know this new government, which was very positive. “I came away from there with a really good feeling about cooperativeness, working together and collaboration. It was a really strong message coming from our current government. I’m optimistic about where we’re going to be going in the future and working closely with the current government.

Multiple homes in Swan River have been shuttered in the last month due to reported health and safety violations, which has forced the people living there to be abruptly evicted with a questionable future of where they are going to be able to live next.
One such resident was Brenda Cook, who was living in the white house at the corner of First Street South and Seventh Avenue South before she and everyone else in the building were unceremoniously told to leave following an investigation from Manitoba Justice that determined the house was an unsuitable habitation.
Cook was one of three people on the lease for the rental property, all three paying $500 each every month. Some of the people living there with her were her adult children and her niece.
“When I stayed in there I fixed that place up with my son Matthew helping me,” said Cook. “I had a group of friends that were helping me with everything, food, blankets, dishes.”
When Cook was told to leave, she was given 20 minutes to gather what she could and leave. Most of her belongings were left behind.
“I only took the jackets, the socks, the sweaters, my blanket and my pillow,” said Cook, noting she didn’t even take the blankets of her children.
“I went to my cousin’s because I feel safe with her. But I don’t really like staying there because there’s no heat or running water.”
Cook added that on the night after they got evicted, people were walking around all night and she was worried somebody would freeze. The night following the eviction on Nov. 23 was one of the coldest overnight periods in the last month.
“I even kind of forgot I was evicted because I said to (my son) Matthew, I just want to go home,” she said. “Oh wait, we don’t even have a home.”
Cook has struggled with addiction and substance abuse since 1999, but said she has been clean for three years now.
“I was using because of my common law husband running in and out with other women,” she said. “I started drinking.
“When he started leaving me longer and longer, I started using bad. And my mother taught me how to use these drugs. I was getting them from her.”
While she has since learned how to budget the disability cheque she does get, when she was living on harder times while in Brandon, she would stand on the street corner and sell herself to get by.
“I did everything for drugs and money and alcohol just to get by,” said Cook.
Cook also mentioned that her childhood wasn’t easy as well, having to take care of her parents and her brothers and sisters when she was only six years old because her parents were busy drinking every night.
“I blame my dad for my mom’s death because she got cancer from second-hand smoke and my mom wasn’t a smoker,” said Cook.
Cook had her first child when she was only 12 years old and more after that. However, she did end up pursuing an education and achieved her certification in Early Childhood Education Level 2.
“I wanted to work in Wuskwi Sipihk and wanted to become a homemaker there,” she said. “I can still have a job there, but I don’t have a way to get there.”
Though there were only three people on the lease for the White House, several others lived there and many more were present at the time the Department of Health did their inspection.
But, Cook insisted that the home was a safe and welcoming place.
“People thought we were cooking drugs in this house and I was thinking, ‘What? Come look around the house and check for yourself,’” she said. “(I would tell them) ‘If you think that’s what’s going on here, I don’t want you to come back.’”
Cook added that her son Matthew had to resort to throwing people out a couple of times.
Cook also noted her efforts to maintain the property, mowing the lawn and doing her best to fix windows that were broken, always being as resourceful as she could be.
The house was one of the places she could feel safe. While she generally isn’t bothered having to walk around Swan River, Cook explained how she has been harassed by others in town before and feared for her safety, having to defend herself.
One of the local blessings was having Meet Off Main when it was still funded and open, as it helped feed everyone.
“It helped a lot,” said Cook. “On weekends I had to cook for these people that come in and out to eat. I’d make bannock and soup, coffee and tea. We were trying to help each other.”
Despite hot meals no longer being on the menu, she added that the current CMHA supports in their new facility on Seventh Avenue North are good as well.
It remains to be seen what solutions will come for Swan River residents with vulnerable housing situations.

The Christmas break could not have come at a better time for the Dauphin Kings.

The Kings enter the break on a three-game losing skid and remain in third place in the Manitoba Junior Hockey League’s MGEU West Division.

Dauphin suffered its second straight loss, Friday, when they dropped a 3-2 decision to the Selkirk Steelers.

Owen Weihs, Joel Purdom and Rocco La Cara scored for Selkirk while Anthony Bax had both goals for Dauphin.

Jack Hodgins made 54 saves to record the win. Austin Seibel took the loss after stopping 32 shots.

On Saturday, Dalton Andrew scored three times to lead the Winkler Flyers to a 7-4 win over the Kings in Winkler.

Mike Svenson, Tanner George, Brady Craik and Blake Matheson also scored for Winkler, while Aidan Brook with two, Logan Walker and Caden Glover replied for Dauphin.

Liam Ernst earned the win in goal with 34 saves.

Cole Sheffield started for Dauphin and had 16 saves before giving way to Seibel, who stopped all six shots he faced.

The Kings enter the Christmas break with a 16-11-1-0 record for 33 points. They sit seven back of the OCN Blizzard for second and 11 behind Virden in first. They are also only two points ahead of the Neepawa Titans.

The Kings come out of the break with a game, Jan. 5, when they host the Winnipeg Freeze.

The Parkland Rangers remain in the hunt for a playoff spot as the Christmas break looms.

The Rangers split a pair of games with the Pembina Valley Hawks, this past weekend on home ice.

Ryzlie Nepinak’s goal with 9:18 remaining in the third period lifted Parkland to a 4-3 win, Saturday night.

Alex Campbell, Cam Sarna and Hayden Seib also scored for the Rangers, while Kam Thomas with two and Sam Delaquis replied for the Hawks.

Chase Glover had 34 saves to pick up the win in goal. Bryson Yaschyshyn made 28 saves in a losing cause.

On Sunday afternoon, Liam Goertzen scored twice to lead the Hawks to a 7-2 win.

Acoyen Fehr, Haiden Friesen, Charlie Hill, Thomas and Brett Lesage had Pembina Valley’s other goals, while Maddox Shindle and Cash McCallum scored for Parkland.

Ryler Gates had 21 saves in the win, while Ethan Myhre stopped 16 shots in taking the loss.

Parkland’s record now sits at 9-11-2-1 for 21 points. They are in 10th place, but sit just one point out of a playoff spot and are two points out of seventh and five back of thew sixth-place Winnipeg Thrashers.

Following Sunday’s loss, a frustrated Rangers head coach Tyler Carefoot was not pleased with the team’s play in either game.

“We greased one out (Saturday). Found a way to win. If you look back at the last seven games, we got points in five of the last seven games. The standard of accountability changes as you win more and as you earn points,” he said. “So (Saturday) we found a way to win, we greased one out. But overall, collectively, I didn’t like a lot of things about (Saturday’s) game. But we got the two points.”

Sunday’s game, Carefoot said, was “super discouraging”, adding the game was emphasized for its importance.

“And right from puck drop, lack of urgency, lack of puck management, lack of game management. We were flat. Everything was flat. Pretty much from top to bottom, it was flat.”

In a league where there is so much parity and every game is important with playoff implications on the line, Carefoot feels the Rangers are in a position to write their own ticket when it comes to the postseason.

“Did we think we would be in a playoff spot right now? We’re battling for playoff position. So now to have a result like today in very discouraging,” he said. “But the Parkland Rangers, we’re resilient, we’re going to persevere and Tuesday is now the most important game of the season.”

That Tuesday game Carefoot spoke of is the final game before the Christmas break, a tilt in Shoal Lake against the Yellowhead Chiefs, who trail Parkland by five points.

Carefoot said the team has to overcome its lackluster play to beat the Chiefs, even though some players are playing sick.

“But we can’t use that as an excuse. There’s guys that have to step up. We have to simplify our game. The more urgent we play with all the little details that teams talk about that brings success, everything just gets a little bit easier. But this weekend, lackluster,” he said. “It’s a choice. It’s hard to work hard, but Tuesday is massive for our group. Because we have an opportunity to have to 10 wins. I’d be lying to you. Did I think we were going to have 10 wins this season? No, I didn’t. We can have 10 wins before Christmas. That’s pretty awesome. But we laid an egg this weekend.”

NOTE: Tuesday's game has now been postponed as players on both sides continue to fight illnesses.

Prairie Mountain Health (PMH) recently welcomed four more new Filipino health-care workers, some with family members, who were recruited earlier as part of Manitoba’s Philippines Recruitment Initiative earlier this year.

The new arrivals landed at Winnipeg Richardson International Airport, Nov. 28. They were understandably tired but excited for the next steps in their journey. Here’s some additional background on Prairie Mountain Health region’s newest residents.

Jay-ar Felipe is an internationally-educated nurse who will be working at Dauphin Regional Health Centre as an Undergraduate Nurse Employee – Internationally Educated Nurse until such time gap training is complete as full licensure as a Registered Nurse is obtained.

Check this week's Herald for the full story!

After a lengthy time not being able to gather the community together, the Dauphin and District Community Foundation hosted a special luncheon, Dec. 15, to announce grant recipients from its fall intake and the Philanthropist of the Year.

Jason Beyette was honoured as Philanthropist of the Year, in part for his work in spearheading a grow project which saw 160 acres of canola planted with proceeds headed for the Dauphin and District Community Foundation when the crop is eventually sold. Beyette arranged donations of seed and other inputs through Dauphin Consumers Co-op for the crop, as well as agronomy services from 360 Ag Consulting.

Reit-Syd Equipment looked after all the custom spraying, as well as donating two combines to harvest the crop, which was hauled to the elevator by the Michaleski family.

In accepting the award, Beyette said philanthropy does not always have to involve big splashy sums of money, it can be small donations or simple deeds that cumulatively improve the lives of others. And there are a lot of people in the community making a difference, he said.

“We all have a part to contribute to the success of the community,” Beyette said. “I thank everyone for doing their part.”

The foundation also handed out $68,738 in grants to projects identified through their fall intake of applications.

Announced as grant recipients were:
• 2024 Manitoba Summer Games - $15,000 for DRCSS track repairs;
• Creative Common - $10,000 for renovations;
• Citizens On Patrol Program - $2,600 for operations;
• Dauphin Derailleurs Cycle Club - $2,500 for maintenance equipment;
• Dauphin and District Community Food Bank - $1,620 for storage solutions;
• First Baptist Church - $5,000 for meals on food bank intake days.
• Friends of Dauphin Lake - $15,000 towards purchase of weed harvesting boat;
• Henderson School - $8,918 for climbing wall and Buddy Benches;
• Parkland Humane Society - $1,600 for operations;
• Dauphin Rotary Club - $1,500 for signage; and
• Dauphin Recreation Services - $5,000 as the first installment in a $30,000 grant paid over three years.

Sharing circles are very powerful healing tools that can help provide support and allow people to express how they feel about something, in a safe and healthy manner. By expressing and sharing lived experiences and challenges, participants in a sharing circle often find the hope and strength they need to continue on.
A sharing circle has been established for parents who have children with exceptional needs and are looking for a safe place to get support.
“The Northern Learning & Support Centre (NLSC) hosts a Sharing Circle for parents and caregivers, whose children are in K-12 schools and are neurodiverse, have mental health needs, and or exhibit challenging behaviours,” said NLSC Resource Facilitator Tania Catalano. “The Sharing Circle is a safe place for parents and caregivers to share their experiences, trials, and successes regarding their journey with their kids.

When we think of Christmas, most people think about the joy of seeing a child’s face light up when they receive a present under the tree. Sadly, not every child has a present waiting under the tree for them on Christmas Day and The Pas Friendship Centre has had their annual Toy Drive in effect for almost a month now, collecting donations of new toys and money to help make sure every child has something for Christmas.
“Our annual Toy Drive has been collecting donations of new toys since the middle of November and the deadline to donate a new toy is December 15,” said The Pas Friendship Centre Executive Director Doug Bartlett. “We will be giving the toys to children between December 18 to 22.

Not very often that a community in the Valley becomes part of a book series or setting for a novel, but Minitonas has become the centre of a new book series written by Sandra V. Konechny.
Konechny was a former resident of the Valley, who has since moved away but has reconnected with her time living here, through her new book series.
“My family moved to Swan River when I was six years old, to help my grandmother with her farm responsibilities as a widow and to overcome her acute grief,” said Konechny.
“We lived at 530 River Park Drive, where I claim to have had the best childhood ever, with a triangular playground park in front of the house and the river behind to play in as part of my backyard. I went to Taylor School and Duncan School back then.”
Konechny considered herself to be a little girl with a vast imagination, one that led her to be interested in writing.
“I had a penchant for dialogue when I was small playing with paper dolls, which I played with for hours, giving my dolls lines to say to each other,” said Konechny. “Similarly, when playing games like house, I’d give all my playmates their lines to say as we acted out a spontaneous story.
“My first attempt at writing a book came in Grade 5 when the teacher assigned the class to write a short story. My story morphed into a book with several chapters. I still remember it was about a gang of thieves who were using an abandoned house on my grandmother’s farm as their hideout. I recall the teacher being very encouraging. I wish that scribbler had been saved, but it was thrown out at the end of the school year along with all other used school supplies.
“I’ve been an avid reader all my life, and also enjoyed words all my life,” said Konechny. “My first writings were short stories, which occurred during my 20s to 40s. Often, they reflected a spiritual theme and I had invitations to read or recite them at special occasions such as a Christmas banquet or other event. In those days, I was also raising a family of two boys and two girls with my husband. Those were busy days, and if and when I wrote something, it was to get rid of the bee in my bonnet.”
Konechny soon embarked on the journey of writing her first book as an adult after being inspired by her faith and the Bible.
“We moved as a family to Dalmeny, Sask. on July 1, 1999, and I got involved in a Saskatoon-wide BSF class,” said Konechny. “I noticed during the years Old Testament books were studied that God asked very profound questions of people. I would tell my friends that if I ever wrote a book, it would be about the questions God asks in the Bible because they are fascinating.
“One day in Spring 2006, a friend came to me and said she’d found a book writing contest on the Internet. She wanted me to write that book and submit it to the contest. I thought about it for a moment and then agreed to. I didn’t win the contest, but I did make the shortlist and in 2007, my first book, When God Asks You, was published.
This sparked a level of excitement in writing for Konechny, however, it took a backburner to life and other hobbies. She found herself looking for a new challenge and was drawn back into the world of writing.
“I was pumped to continue writing after that, but the busyness of life and my interest in crafting quilts intercepted,” said Konechny. “About 2017, I was tired of everything I had put my hand to thus far, and I mean everything. I wanted to do something completely new. I ruled out things like woodworking, motor vehicle mechanics, bungee jumping, and sky diving and eventually challenged myself to write a novel.
“It took me around a year. I submitted it to another contest. This time I did not make the shortlist, but the judge gave me very encouraging feedback. I didn’t pursue going forward with it then, but kept writing.
“I hadn’t resolved all the mysteries I had set up in book one, so kept writing until they were, which resulted in three volumes, hence a series,” said Konechny. “I was going to end the story as a trilogy and write out an epilogue, as to the general futures of the most prominent characters.
“That’s when I realized I had inadvertently set the groundwork for another story that would bring a pair of minor characters into the spotlight, so now I’m on the home stretch with Book 4 of The Minitonas Diaries. It’s been the most fun to write so far.
“I’ve also written a children’s novel,” said Konechny. “It is an upcoming project with my publisher and my talented son-in-law has drawn an illustration for each of the twelve chapters. Its working title is An Improbable Adventure at Grandma’s House. So far, I’ve written six books and might write some more.”
The inspiration for the series The Minitonas Diaries was a combination of Konechny’s memories and a cliffhanger ending from an old movie.
“I didn’t start out planning to write a series,” said Konechny. “I had one main idea, the telling of it stretched into three volumes, now four and perhaps more. My project manager with the publisher suggested I come up with a series name too, not merely titles for each book. Eventually, I thought of The Minitonas Diaries as the title to link the volumes together.
“As for the story, it had to happen somewhere. In the summer of 2017, I had talked my husband into making a visit to Swan River and Minitonas, so I could satisfy my craving for a little nostalgia down memory lane. As we drove around the streets and country roads, reviewing the places where my family and relatives lived, I thought of the novel I was planning to write and decided this could be the setting. I was well enough acquainted with the lay of the land from personal memory as well as current-day realism to make it work.
“When I was approximately ten years old, I watched a black and white movie where a particular image stuck in my memory,” said Konechny. “A man had returned to his home roots, which was now the scene of derelict buildings, to make a new start with his life. The memory often returned to me and I would wonder what his new start would look like. Rock Bottom is the story that came to my mind and heart for a guy who had come home after a long break to make a fresh start in his life.
“Other than that, story fodder comes from my lifetime experiences, people and places I have known, things I’ve read about or have been shared with me.”
Just like any other endeavour, there are parts that are enjoyable and others that are challenging. Writing a book posed both for Konechny.
“I enjoyed writing the funny parts,” said Konechny. “When I know for sure what happens in the scene, it’s fairly easy to write it out. I strive, with each book, I write to evoke the reader to laugh, cry and be provoked to personal reflection over the issues that get raised.
“Some of the readers of Rock Bottom have already reached out to me with their feedback. They tell me how much the story has resonated with them and their own personal histories. This makes me feel fulfilled as a writer.
“I find that writing a novel isn’t terribly hard, if I know the starting point and the end point,” said Konechny. “However, I don’t always know what the middle steps are, that’s when I stop trying to force the issue. Instead, I stop, hang over a jigsaw puzzle, and listen to what my characters are saying or trying to say. Eventually, insight comes and I can carry on.
“Another challenge is getting the words exactly right so they accurately evoke and convey the intended emotions or message.”
If you missed Konechny’s book signing last weekend, you can get your copy of The Minitonas Diaries Book 1 Rock Bottom in bookstores and online.
“It can be ordered from any bookstore such as McNally Robinson, Indigo, Chapters, including any Christian bookstores, as well as Amazon,” said Konechny. “It is also available as an e-book. Word Alive Press, has an online bookstore where it can be ordered directly from the publisher.”
Konechny is working on the next book in The Minitonas Diaries series as well as possibly some other books.
“I’m still working on Book 4 titled No Turning Back, and barring unforeseen circumstances, should be completed by the end of December,” said Konechny. “I guesstimate its turn for publishing will be in early 2025. Currently, Book 2 titled And Then There’s Life, is in the editing process and will likely be available as of Spring 2024.
“After that, Book 3 with the working title Love and Life are Winding Trails,” said Konechny.
“Will there be a Book 5? Perhaps. I have an idea of which characters could take center stage, but so far, I don’t know what the drama in their lives would be.
“My grandkids are begging me to tell another Improbable Adventure story about them,” said Konechny. “As soon as I can figure out what kind of problem they could solve, I’ll get right on that.”