Doug Zywina
Girl Guides gather for Crocus Camp
More than 500 Girl Guides and their leaders from across Canada have come to Dauphin for the organization’s Crocus Camp 2023, which will be held, Aug. 20 to 26.
Camp director Melissa Lopushniuk of Winnipeg said this is the first year they are running such a Crocus Camp.
“So we’re really, really excited to have such a large camp and something to happen in our province. And specifically Dauphin. Dauphin has been really hospitable with us and has been a really, really great support in terms of the community,” she said.
The Girl Guides, ranging in age from 10 to 17, will be camping at Selo Ukraina. It was the Selo site which sold organizers on holding the Crocus Camp in Dauphin.
“The Selo site has such great infrastructure and there’s such great things around. We have the museum that we can utilize. We have so many great things. We have some out trips going in and around the city,” Lopushniuk said.
Activities for the week will include Ukrainian egg decorating, mountain biking, as well as an activity involving the local Communities in Bloom committee.
“So something for all of the youth involved,” Lopushniuk said, adding she hopes the girls will enjoy the week. “I definitely think that we’ve created something that really reignites their spirit and really gets them to enjoy guiding and to continue on. So this is a big thing for us,” she said.
The opening ceremonies were held, Sunday evening, which included a special performance by Sche Raz.
Parkland Humane Society in desperate need of volunteers
The Parkland Humane Society (PHS) is in dire need of volunteers.
According to PHS office administrator Jenn Langlois, the shelter has been inundated with an influx of cats and dogs.
“There’s lots of dogs coming in from the pound. The same with cats coming in from the pound. And we are up to 20 dogs in the shelter and only a few are in foster. So we are also short of fosters,” she said. “And we have only one summer student hired and then my fulltime position. I’m supposed to be on office, but I’m also taking care of the dogs a lot.”
Langlois added there are currently 10 to 15 people who are on the schedule to come in and care for the animals at the shelter.
“Lots of times we’re running with only one person here. We’re lucky if we get two. So we are desperately in need of more volunteers to care for all of these influx of animals that are coming though,” she said.
Every day, Langlois said, they receive calls about pregnant cats or cats with kittens.
“And we just don’t have places to put them We are full here. Our fosters are full. We also get lots of calls for dogs, again lots when they get pregnant and need a place to go and we just don’t have that room,” she said.
At times, animals will be sent to other shelters, but those other shelters are also full and are unable to accommodate any more animals.
“We are definitely over the maximum right now for the dogs and the cats. And when we’ve only got one or two people per shift you can’t devote all of your attention, you’ve got to get everybody fed and watered. And by the time you get even that (far), then your shift is done and you haven’t had play time or walking time,” Langlois said. “These animals need more than what they’re getting.”
Of the 20 dogs, eight are housed inside the shelter itself, while the rest are housed in the kennels, sometimes with two or three per kennels.
And there are between 20 and 30 cats, as well, with a long waiting list for cats to come in.
“So no sooner that we get some out, more are coming in,” Langlois said.
Another problem facing PHS is no one is currently adopting animals.
“We’re at a standstill for adoptions. So therefore, no other can even come in. Lots of people are surrendering or they’re in the pound. They’re just not going anywhere,” Langlois said.
Anyone interested in volunteering or fostering can call the shelter at 204-638-6966, or visit the organization’s website at parklandhumanesociety.com and fill out the foster or volunteer form, which can be emailed to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or dropped off at the shelter.
Those interested in fostering will receive everything they may need to care for a dog or cat.
“For fostering, you don’t need anything. We give you everything you possibly need. Leash, collar, bowls, litter, litter boxes. There is absolutely no cost to a foster to take a dog or a cat,” Langlois said. “We just like that you’re able to bring the dog or a cat if they need to be seen or if they have vet appointments.”
Langlois added they also look for fosters who are able to care for animals that may need medical attention.
“It could be simply giving a pill, that they’re comfortable with doing that,” she said.
Shelter shifts are 8:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., seven days a week year round.
“We need somebody here all the time,” Langlois said.
Rea ready to step aside from Parkland Vipers program
The Parkland Vipers Volleyball Club will have someone new at the helm next season as program founder Ted Rea retires from the role as organizer.
Noting it has been more than six years since his own family has been involved with the program, Rea said the program had more than 100 girls registered with teams from Grades 5 to 11.
“And I think with so much interest and the coaches we’ve got involved now and the parents that are involved, I thought it would be a good time to step away and have them take on the task as a group and take over the program,” he said.
Rea started the program in 1998 for what he called selfish reasons, a desire to win a provincial championship at the high school level.
“And we had to have a club team to develop those skills a little bit further in order to do that,” he said.
That first team back in 1998 consisted of mostly girls from Dauphin.
“But we had a few girls from out of town,” Rea added.
The next year, the program grew with players from Gilbert Plains, Winnipegosis and Grandview joining the program.
For the first few years, it was just Rea involved coaching one team.
“And then there was a group that got together with Jeremy Love’s daughter Tabi coming up that decided to do a few teams. So we had a few age groups going,” he said.
That lasted for a little while, Rea said. The number of teams continued, but the organization eventually went by the wayside.
“The parents that were involved, their daughters graduated and moved on and nobody really wanted to continue with the program. I’d been doing it before and knew the ins and outs and decided to just take on the task myself,” he said.
Read the full story in this week's Dauphin Herald!
Silvester helps Manitoba to silver medal at nationals
Ethelbert’s Analiese Silvester helped Team Manitoba to a silver medal at Football Canada’s Women’s U18 National Championships in Ottawa, July 21 to 29.
Manitoba opened the tournament with a 32-26 loss to Ontario Red, July 23.
Playing in the Cummings Division, Manitoba then defeated Indigenous Football Canada, 53-0, on July 26, to advance to the gold medal game against Ontario Black, which captured the gold medal with an 8-0 win, July 29.
Entering her 10th year of playing football, Silvester became interested in the sport when her mother and sister started playing.
“And they encouraged me to go to a practice, so I thought, ‘why not? I’ll try out in practice.’ And then I just fell in love with the sport,” she said.
Living in Ethelbert, Silvester commutes to Dauphin to practice and play with the Dauphin Clippers high school team. She first began in the youth football program in Dauphin before graduating to the high school level.
Silvester’s dream was to play for the provincial team, so when she heard about the tryouts, she decided to give it a try.
“I was pretty mind blown. It was very nice knowing I made the team,” she said of her reaction to making the team.
Silvester didn;t really have any expectations entering the national championships.
“I’ve never really been to one of those, so I didn’t know what to expect. But it was a very amazing experience,” she said, adding it was also a good learning experience, as well.
Silvester played mostly as a defensive back, but she also saw time as a linebacker and safety.
Silvester hopes to someday tryout for Canada’s national women’s team.
Silvester would like to give a huge thank-you to the following for their help raising funds for her travel costs: Erica Spek, Baba’s Corner Store, Gerald Lopez, Semtrack Agency and Design, Burdeniuk’s Service, East Side Collision, Western Trails, the Telfer family along with friends and family.
“Your help is greatly appreciated,” she said.
Celebrating a milestone
The Very Reverend Father Oleg Bodnarski, along with Marvin Procyshyn conducted a service honouring Ukrainian pioneers at the Trembowla Cross of Freedom site, Sunday, as part of Canada’s National Ukrainian Festival.
The day also celebrated the 125th anniversary of St. Michael’s Ukrainian Catholic Church, which was built in 1898 at Mink River and moved to thre Trembowla site in 1967.
Paying a visit
Manitoba Premier Heather Stefanson was in Dauphin, Friday for a meet and greet at the Parkland Recreation Complex with local dignitaries and recipients of recent funding through the Arts, Culture and Sport in Community Fund.
Among the Parkland recipients are:
Dauphin Recreation Services, Maamawi Park All Seasons, Phase 2 - $400,000; 2020 Dauphin Manitoba Summer Games Committee Inc., athletics facility upgrade, Phase 2 - $50,000; Dauphin and District Allied Arts Council Inc.,, auditorium floor - $17,500; Dauphin’s Countryfest Inc., amphitheatre seating upgrade project - $18,952.50; Rorketon Curling Club Inc., ice surface/interior revitalization - $25,000; Ukrainian Folk Arts Centre and Museum, Selo Hall access improvements - $18,005; Dauphin Active Living Centre, heritage showcase series - $12,000; Dauphin Derailleurs Cycle Club Inc., northgate gallery project - $25,000; Gilbert Plains and District Historical Society Inc., Guardians of our Past, Phase 2 - $11,700; Dauphin Neighbourhood Renewal Corporation, Tapestry: A Celebration of Diversity - $5,000; Sifton recreation, second annual Harvest Festival - $5,000; and Ste. Rose Hoof ‘n’ Holler Days Inc., Hoof ‘n’ Holler - $5,000.
Stoney Point Beach gets a new play structure
Thanks to a grant from the Building Sustainable Communities Fund, the RM of Dauphin was able to build a play structure at Stoney Point Beach.
A grand opening of the play structure was held, Aug. 1, with councillors, along with Dauphin MLA Brad Michaleski in attendance.
RM of Dauphin CAO Nicole Chychota said they had applied for the grant more than a year ago.
“Once we got that grant, it was full steam ahead to start planning this project,” she said, adding once the equipment was acquired, it only took two days for staff to put together.
Noting Stoney Point Beach is a popular campground for area residents, Chychota said there has been activities and play structures for kids missing from the beach for a long time.
"So this was a really good addition. Something the last council talked about. This council was extremely supportive of the project, as well. And we really wanted to just make this place a little bit more special than it already was,” she said.
The RM received another grant from the Enabling Accessibilities Fund, which will be used to build an accessible shower-washroom facility this fall.
There are currently more than 20 camping sites at the beach, featuring a mix of RV sites, as well as tenting sites and a boat launch.
“It’s a wonderful spot. The lake is always great. It’s great for fishing. The beach is lovely to play on. We did the boat launch a few years ago. That was new,” Chychota said. “So we’ve really focused on trying to make this area special and doing what we can to add value for the visitors and the citizens of the RM. It’s beautiful to see it come to life.”
Chychota thanks all the sponsors and RM staff and council for helping to make the new play structure a reality.
Larger crowds, great weather help make CNUF a success
The 58th annual Canada’s National Ukrainian Festival (CNUF) is in the books and it could not have gone any better.
CNUF president Kayla Gillis said the weekend went better than expected.
“Our crowd (Saturday) was phenomenal. The stands were packed. We ran out of alcohol and we had to get more, which is a good thing. We ran out of day passes, which is a good thing, as well, too,” she said. “It’s been phenomenal. The support from everybody coming out, the support from the community, all our volunteers, it’s been amazing.”
The weather, Gillis added, was fantastic.
“It’s been a little breezy, which is great because it’s fairly hot. But the weather has been fantastic for this year,” she said.
Although the final attendance numbers are not in yet, Gillis estimated this year’s crowds surpassed last year’s numbers.
The highlight of the weekend for Gillis came Saturday night, watching Shumka Ukrainian Dancers from Edmonton dance on the main stage.
“And seeing the stands completely filled. And at the end, when we did (the finale), everybody put their cell phone light on and everything was lit up. It was beautiful,” she said.
Gillis had the opportunity to meet with some of the Ukrainian refugees displaced by the war in Ukraine. She met with groups from Regina and Winnipeg, as well as some of the families who have relocated to Dauphin, who volunteered at the festival.
“The ones that joined us last year and came for this year and said it was bigger and better, which was great to see. And the ones that just joined us for this year, they said it’s phenomenal how we can make a party happen and still keep our culture and heritage going,” she said.
Work on next year’s festival has already begun with some talent already booked.
“It nevers ends, the planning. We’re already looking ahead to the 60th, too,” Gillis said.
Gillis wishes to thank everyone who attended this year’s festival, as well as all the entertainers, sponsors and volunteers.
“Just thank you for everything,” she said.
MMF to train Ukrainian refugees in early learning childcare
The Manitoba Métis Federation will educate and employ up to 25 Ukrainian newcomers to work in the child care profession after receiving $1 million in funding from the provincial government.
Wayne Ewasko, Manitoba’s Minister of Education and Early Childhood Learning was in Dauphin, Aug. 1, to present the funds to Frances Chartrand, MMF Minister for Early Learning and Child Care.
Noting it is an exciting time for MMF, Chartrand said the initiative is part of a commitment MMF made to the Ukrainian Canadian Congress (UCC)
“We wanted to make sure that we could train 25 Ukrainian refugees in early learning,” she said. “So now we found out that they’re going to have a 140-space childcare centre in the city of Dauphin and the work force is so slim, not inly in the province of Manitoba, not only in the Parkland, but right across Canada. So there’s probably about 300 vacancies in the province of Manitoba. So it’s exciting times that we can help train and then they could learn about the Métis culture, learn the language and are able to sustain their homes and make sure that they can care for their families. So it’s exciting times for us.”
Chartrand said they reached out to local contacts to learn where refugees are located, adding there will be a community townhall in Winnipeg.
Classes, Chartrand said, will be held at the Métis Community Centre in Dauphin, as well as in Winnipeg, with both featuring a mix of Ukrainian refugees and Red River Métis citizens, with training to begin in October.
“So we’re doing intake right now. We met with the Ukrainian Canadian Congress and we’ve met with about 38 Ukrainian refugees in Winnipeg. So we’re doing a call out in the Parkland and the surrounding area and we’re going to try and get a class ready here,” Chartrand said.
The first four to six weeks, Chartrand said, will be teaching the refugees English and about Manitoba and Canada.
The following four to six weeks will be spent learning the Métis culture, followed by 18 months of learning the early learning childcare program.
“I think this is an exciting time and I’m so excited that our province is finally seeing and following our path, making sure that we could find employees to work throughout the province,” Chartrand said.
Mavericks are victorious in return to the pitch
The Dauphin Mavericks have been yearning to play a game this season after Rugby Manitoba failed to come up with any opponents for the local men’s rugby squad this season.
But the Mavericks were able to hit the pitch for an actual game thanks to the Winnipeg Wasps, who made the trek north for a friendly match, Saturday afternoon.
Dauphin took advantage of the opportunity to play again, scoring a 56-31 victory over their Winnipeg counterparts.
Mavericks president Codi Harrigan said the game was confirmed on Friday.
“We were hunting down the refs. So it ended up being that one of their players and myself reffed it,” he said.
Harrigan said a few new players had shown up for practice last week and they committed to play the game.
“And they were able to get on the field. Right off the bat, they showed us their skills and they definitely came out to play. They helped us a lott,” he said.
One of those players, Daniel Evans, led the Mavericks with five tries.
“That was a huge debut for him,” Harrigan said.
Given that the Mavericks haven’t played much at all this season, one might expect the team to have been a bit rusty. But the only aspect of their game that showed any rust, Harrigan said, was their conditioning.
“Our ball handling was great. Our set pieces were great. It’s just the conditioning that we need to work on,” he said.
At this point, there are no other games scheduled other than the King of the Hill match against the Brandon Barbarians later this fall in Brandon.
Harrigan appreciated the Wasps for coming out for the match.
“They support us a lot, so it was nice,” he said.
Harrigan invites anyone interested in playing rugby to come out to practices, every Tuesday and Thursday at 7 p.m. at the Kin Field at the Vermillion Park Sportsplex.