Jennifer Laviolette
Mateika bids fond farewell
Swan Valley School Division (SVSD) Superintendent Cam Mateika announced his official retirement to take effect at the end of this school year. Mateika has spent almost his entire working career in the field of education and got his start in teaching close to the Valley.
“I’ve spent 48 years working in education,” said Mateika. “My first three years as an educator were in Camperville before I came to Swan Valley School Division (SVSD).”
Mateika has seen a lot of changes in education since he first started. Technology has had the biggest role in this and will continue to in the future.
“Because of communication styles today, our kids are just being bombarded with information,” said Mateika. “They told us 40 years ago that we were going to enter the information age, and we didn’t know what that really meant. When you look at it now, there’s such an increase in information for students and it’s giving them many more opportunities than we had as young people. It’s opening up a whole different world to the kids who are cognisant of what is going on around them. Kids have a lot of good opportunities, as a result of this.
“I’ve seen some very young kids using artificial intelligence (AI), and some people get alarmed by that, but it will just be part of their arsenal of tools in the future. They will use AI in their workplace and in schooling in the future. That’s all coming. It’s not all good and it’s not all bad either, but it’s going to be a change.”
Looking back on his time in education, Mateika had a fondness for the time he spent teaching grade 5. He found that age group very enjoyable to work with, for they were leaders in the elementary side of things, and beginners starting into junior high. For him, it was a fun age group to work with and teach.
“I spent 10 years teaching grade 5 in Birch River and teaching that grade was really not like a job because that age group is a great one to teach,” said Mateika. “That hasn’t really changed much. They are just at that right age. By grade 6, the students are getting to that junior high age and are developing their uniqueness as individuals. The grade 5 stage was a really enjoyable one for me because that age is like where they are like miniature adults when it comes to their learning.”
During Mateika’s time with SVSD, he has seen a lot of change and progression that the division has embarked on. It has helped give students much more adverse skills for the future.
“I think we did embrace technology and were usually on the cutting edge of many technologies over the years,” said Mateika. “I think we took the opportunity to deliver new ways of programming. We were always very open to partnerships, and those brought things to our school that we would have never had otherwise. Over the years, we have done hundreds of tours and people can’t believe what we have here in Swan River. That’s credit to the people who have contributed and we tried to keep it going. I’m hopeful that will continue on into the future.”
One thing Mateika never expected during his tenure was to experience working in education during a pandemic. There has been much negative feedback about what the pandemic did to learning and socialization for students, but Mateika has found some positives that have derived from doing things a different way than normal.
“I came in as superintendent as we began to see the light at the end of the tunnel, in terms of the pandemic,” said Mateika. “Previous superintendent, Jon Zilkey, laid down a lot of the groundwork in getting us through that. I can say having to change as a result of the pandemic did lead to some good things.
“For example, we lobbied very hard for the University of Brandon to give us an after-degree. We have teachers with degrees, but we wanted to help them get their Bachelor of Education as an after-degree. After the pandemic, and I had one student come up to me and tell me how thankful they were because Brandon University offered their teaching degree by distance, and they were able to get a year and a half done before that offer was cancelled due to us coming out of the pandemic.
“I mentioned that to the Dean, about how someone was thankful for the pandemic because the university made that adjustment and delivered a program that individual was able to take,” said Mateika. “That program could still be delivered that way. There is a shortage of teachers and we needed to recognize that this option could allow us to do it in a different way.
“We’re making headway, but it’s so much slower than I thought it would come. They have very pedagogic reasons why it shouldn’t be done that way, but we know we have to do it. We have to grow our own teachers and it’s something we have to do in the future. That doesn’t mean we don’t bring in teachers from outside.
“The ones that want to come back to the Valley, stay and get their education here, we need to help them as well,” said Mateika. “If you are an adult and have a family, it’s not easy to go to the city for two years to get a Bachelor of Education. In fact, it can be impossible for some.
“We did make headway with the University of Winnipeg and next year we have some EAs starting a five-year program and they will be a teacher at the end of it.”
Mateika will miss the daily interactions with staff and students but is also looking forward to partaking in a passion of his.
“I will miss the interaction with the people the most,” said Mateika. “As for my retirement, well, I have had a bad habit of farming for over 40 years, and I’m looking forward to doing it all day long.”
Indigenous youth choir to head to Italy in 2026
The Arts for Manitoba Indigenous Youth Choir has been accomplishing great things in a short span of time. The choir consists of Rhonda Head as the Choral Director, Ava Meconse from Pinaymootang First Nation, Avery Pelletier from Skownan First Nation, Georgianna Blacksmith from Opaskwayak Cree Nation and Ja’Keira Lynch from Skownan First Nation. The talents from this group of young choir singers have really grown since they started, with more opportunities on the horizon.
“I started the Arts for Manitoba Indigenous Youth Choir three years ago,” said Choral Director Rhonda Head. “Since then, the choir members have gone through so much personal development. Last year, we went to Carnegie Hall and performed there.
Planning is well underway for 2026 Trappers’ Festival
As we wait for the snow to arrive, planning for the 2026 Northern Manitoba Trappers’ Festival (NMTF) is well underway. Many of the events are in the process of being planned.
“The NMTF Board of Directors are in full planning stages,” said NMTF Vice Chair Jenn Cook. “With so many different events, each director is working diligently to ensure that we are bringing the community the festival they have become accustomed to. One of the key pieces at this point is lining up volunteers to assist with all the events, including the Dog Races, Trapper events, parade, ice bar and more.
“This year, we are happy to announce the stage and talent who will return. Full details on that event will be coming soon and we are extremely excited to have the event back in our Festival line-up. We will also be continuing with the Ice Sculpting Contest, which saw some incredible pieces of work created last year.
Amara’s Amigos dedicate five years to fundraising and creating awareness
The long-lasting memory of Amara Campbell has created a ripple effect that has touched the Swan Valley and created a movement to help fight cancer. The creation of Amara’s Amigos, a group of dedicated volunteers who help raise funds in the fight against cancer, was formed five years ago and has grown in many ways.
“The creation of the first Amara’s Amigos group was a very special symbol of support for Amara, Joel, Blair and me,” said Amara’s mother Lee-Anne Campbell. “Amara was a quiet, 13-year-old, who preferred not to have much attention on herself. Her cancer diagnosis took away her ability to blend in with the crowd.
“Our son Joel was 15 years old at the time. His sister’s cancer diagnosis was very tough on him as well. The shirts, events, and donations gave Amara a place to find comfort in her new identity. Also, a new type of identity for our family, I suppose. The love and support that continues to be shown for Amara’s Amigos is humbling and heart-warming for all of us.
“The Amara’s Amigos group, name and first shirts were created by Amara’s Minitonas school friends and teachers in 2019, following her cancer diagnosis,” said Campbell. “This first amazing team supported Amara by participating in the 2019 Swan River Canadian Cancer Society Relay for Life. The team name and colours were perfect, so it has remained.
“We decided to continue to raise awareness about childhood cancer and fundraise in memory of Amara. The first Amara’s Amigos Garage Sale was a success, so it has continued as an annual event. September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, as well as the month in which Amara passed away, so it has been meaningful to host the garage sale during that month.
“Then, in 2021, I approached the Stampeders to support Cameron Coulthart, a local 17-year-old boy who was fighting cancer,” said Campbell. “Cameron had spent some time with the team earlier that season before he had a big surgery. We did a small event collecting money for him, shared a brief update on his cancer, and his sister dropped the puck. In the 2023/24 season, was the first year that we bought Hockey Fights Cancer team jerseys. This event has just completed its third year.”
Over the years, Amara’s Amigos has raised money for the fight against cancer in many ways. It sparked a much bigger movement in the Valley, with more people and organizations getting involved by creating new fundraisers and helping the existing ones to raise more money than in years prior.
“The money collected from the garage sales, Ride Inside events, lemonade stand, cookie sales and the Hockey Fights Cancer event with the Swan Valley Stampeders is entirely donated to the CancerCare MB Foundation (CCMB), PROFYLE Program,” said Campbell. “The name stands for PRecision Oncology For Young peopLE, those living with rare and hard-to-treat cancers. The program provides genetic testing for these kids, searching for alternative treatment options. Amara’s oncologists were able to access PROFYLE for her treatment plan. She was able to take some additional oral chemotherapy that we think allowed her more months of life.
“Amara’s Amigos have also participated in the annual Swan River Terry Fox Runs since 2019.
“The newest fundraising event started in 2024, the annual Minitonas School Memorial Lunch Fundraiser for PAC improvements for their school,” said Campbell. “This event is in memory of both Amara and Joel.
“Our core group of Amara’s Amigos has remained pretty similar in size. These family members and friends continue to jump into action to assist Blair and me with the events. However, we also recognize our much wider group of Amara’s Amigos as every person and business that has supported us. It’s very special to continue seeing more purple shirts/hoodies, with the addition of a blue heart for Joel, around town, as we partnered with the Stampeders hockey team in 2023.”
At this past Amara’s Amigos Garage Sale Fundraiser, the group not only received a lot of donations to put towards the sale, but also raised slightly more in funds than the year prior.
“A total of $5,810 was raised at the 2025 garage sale,” said Campbell. “A bit higher than last year. The garage sales have been successful in various ways. We have provided a venue for our items to be repurposed by others, offering an opportunity for a wider variety of people to contribute to our fundraising, even if it was only an extra $2 they could afford. Each year, I have been pleasantly surprised at how many people stop in at the garage sale simply to drop off their annual donation cheque for CCMB. It has also developed into an opportunity to connect with community members who still support us as we live in grief.”
The total funds raised from the Hockey Fights Cancer event have not been totalled yet; however, the money raised from both this event and the garage sale will be presented to CCMBF at the Winnipeg Jets HFC game on November 23.
“The community support from the Swan River Valley has amazed us since 2019, right from the time of Amara’s cancer diagnosis,” said Campbell. “Blair and I have been humbled by the outpouring of support.
Antonio recognized for 20 years with 4H
Being a part of 4-H gives youth many opportunities to build and grow essential skills that are needed in everyday life as a part of learning. 4-H stands for Head, Heart, Hands and Health, all components which we need for survival. Local 4-H The Pas Helping Hands Leader Cheryl Antonio has been involved with 4-H ever since she was a child and started out as a member whose mother was a 4-H leader.
“My first involvement with 4-H was in the late 70s,” said Antonio. “My mom was a 4-H leader and taught us sewing. My mom is an extremely talented seamstress and it was important to her to pass along these skills to her daughters. Learning something fun was even better when you could do it as a group and thus we attended the 4-H sewing club.”
Watching her mother be a 4-H leader and knowing how valuable the program was led Antonio to also become a leader and her own children became interested in it as well.
Aurora Optical ready to provide optometrist services
A new optical place has opened up and is ready to serve the tri-community when it comes to vision needs. Aurora Optical held its grand opening on Wednesday, October 5, at its location in the Otineka Mall.
“When I started exploring the idea of Aurora Optical, I spent a lot of time listening to people who know this community well – organizations like Beatrice Wilson, our local audiologist, pharmacists, and advisors at Scotiabank,” said Aurora Optical Owner and Optometrist Yi Zheng. “They helped me understand not just the numbers, but the lived reality of getting healthcare in and around OCN and The Pas.
The Pas Regional Library hosts new reading and writing club
If you are looking for a quiet place to read or write the next best-selling novel, The Pas Regional Library has the perfect option for you. A new Silent Writing and Reading Club has started and it gives people a place without day-to-day distractions to focus on reading and writing activities.
“The library's Silent Reading and Writing Club is hosted by one of our staff members, Laura Hrabarchuk,” said The Pas Regional Library Head Librarian Dawn-Maire Blanchette. “We first started the club as a quiet reading space to give people a chance to step away for an hour and just relax.
Bags of Love create comfort for kids who need it
A new movement created to help children who are removed from their homes due to crisis circumstances such as abuse, neglect and other factors, has established a chapter in the Valley. Bags of Love is a charitable organization that provides the Department of Family Services with bags filled with items a child would benefit from having when being transitioned to a new living arrangement.
The Canadian Program was started in Alberta in 2009 and is making its way across Canada, and now here in the Valley.
“We recognize that certain children, upon being displaced from their normal or perhaps abnormal home life due to domestic violence and or drug or alcohol abuse, are left with nothing, not even their favourite toy or blanket,” said Bags of Love Volunteer Linda McCullough. “It is our intent that working through the Department of Families, to provide to each of these children, from newborn to age 17, a Bag of Love with age and gender appropriate items for their care and their enjoyment that they can truly call their very own.
“We believe that this small token of love and affection will go far toward helping these children adjust to a foster or adoptive home, whether temporary or permanent. We pray that these children will long cherish their Bag of Love and endeavour to remember other children who might be subjected to the same plight in their growing years.
“When given their very own Bag of Love, it can give them a sense of security, comfort and care to support their emotional and physical wellbeing,” said McCullough.
“While attending a Women’s Retreat in May of this year, Pauline Rogers from North Battleford, SK, spoke on this project that has been moving across Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba. We were impressed to start a chapter in Swan River, as we believe there is a need in our community and we want to make a difference in a child’s life.
“We officially became a chapter in September and have delivered eight Bags of Love to the Department of Families,” said McCullough. “We plan on delivering more in the near future.”
Items that are new or gently used can be donated to go into the Bags of Love.
“Items suitable for donation could be a handmade quilt/blanket, stuffed toys, dolls, new toys and games or clean and like new condition, school supplies, books, coloring books, journals for older children, flashlights, nightlights, hygiene products such as shampoo, body wash or bar soap, deodorant, sanitary napkins, dental hygiene products, combs/brushes, hair accessories, Kleenex, socks etc.,” said McCullough. “Also, baby items such as diapers, bottles, pacifiers, baby shampoo, lotion, powder, blankets, knitted hats, toys, stuffies, etc.”
The Swan River chapter for Bags of Love is also looking for volunteers to either help put the bags together or to make handmade items to go into them.
“It takes a village to raise a child, and it also takes a community to make a project for children work,” said McCullough. “It relies on volunteers of all ages and walks of life to meet the needs of displaced children by donating the above items as mentioned.
“If you sew or knit, we can use homemade quilts, baby blankets, bibs, pencil cases or makeup bags, hats, mittens and scarves. Please contact me or Donna Leming.
“We are a nonprofit organization and will be operating through the Swan River Seventh-day Adventist Church. If someone wishes to make a monetary donation, please make cheques payable to the Swan River Seventh-day Adventist Church and mark ‘Bags of Love’ and a receipt will be issued. Please contact me at 204-281-0483 or Donna Leming at 204-731-4553 if you have any questions or email us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..”
Running the distance
The tri-community has a small dedicated niche of runners and joggers who strive to go the distance when it comes to running. It’s not only a daily form of exercise for them, but can also lead to competitive challenges and marathons.
Recently, Lia and Patti Marin travelled to Toronto to participate in the Toronto Waterfront Marathon.
Both Lia and Patti first developed their love of running during their final year of high school.
“I was active in sports growing up, but when I was in grade 12, I decided to join track and field,” said Lia.
Creating from the mind
Local artist and metal sculptor Dan Jones recently displayed his artwork during Culture Days at an event held at Opasquia Trails. Visitors got to see his detailed and intricate artwork up close and personal. For Jones, his work has been something he stumbled upon and has felt a deep connection to from the beginning.
“My original background is in automotive, so I am mechanically inclined,” said Jones. “Anyone who works in this field dabbles in a bit of welding for exhaust systems and other stuff. I was a bit familiar with welding already, even though I never took any official training on it. I already owned a welder.