Last week (Aug. 8), Dr. Gene Theodore was awarded a King Charles III’s Coronation Medal, presented by Swan River MLA Rick Wowchuk on behalf of the King’s representative. Theodore served as a medical doctor in the Swan Valley for 52 years, finally retiring in 2018...

The new owners of one of about 50 independent small town cinemas left in the country say they’re living the dream.
Robby and Emilie Roy (not pronounced like Allen, but like former Habs goaltender Patrick) took possession of the Roblin Theatre in July and after some initial renovations opened their doors Aug. 1.
Check out this week’s Review for the rest of the story

Some former Valley residents are taking advantage of a summer student opportunity that allows them to work in their home community and gain experience in their field of study. Discover Health Careers Manitoba offers term positions to students in the healthcare field to provide a hands-on experience in clinical, hospital or healthcare environments.
Prairie Mountain Health (PMH) offered 26 positions in the region in areas of pharmacy, primary care, mental health, therapy services, acute care, public health and nutrition. PMH and Shared Health cost share the initiative.
At the Primary Care Clinic in Swan River, two local students, Brittan Yaschyshyn and Abby Facundo, have been participants working through the initiative since May of this year.
“I grew up in the valley and love coming home every summer to my family and friends. My parents, Tom and Tracey, grew up here as well,” said Yaschyshyn. “After graduating in 2022 and moving to the city, I missed being in a small town and getting to participate in community events and groups that I had become so accustomed to.
“I study Midwifery at Mount Royal University in Calgary. I chose it after learning about its unique scope of practice and clinically based teaching style. After graduating, I will have spent over 24 months in practicums outside of the time spent in the classroom. I chose this area of healthcare because it is such an exciting and critical moment in people’s lives and I look forward to being able to support others through it.
“I moved to Swan River from the Philippines and have lived in the Valley since 2017,” said Facundo. “My parents are Ivy and Allan Facundo. My dad works at AG Shield in Benito and my mom works as a health care aide at the Swan Valley Lodge. I graduated from the Swan Valley Regional Secondary School in 2024. During my time in the valley, I enjoyed spending time at the lake, being with friends, and being part of the Filipino community.
“I’ve always loved taking care of others, especially my little cousins and great-grandparents, whether it was babysitting, helping with everyday tasks, or keeping them company. Additionally, I worked at the healthcare facility where my mom works, which gave me firsthand experience and opened the door to pursuing a career in healthcare.
“I’m currently studying for my Bachelor of Science in Nursing at the University of Calgary,” said Facundo. “After I graduate, I plan to become a registered nurse and hope to work in labour and delivery or pediatrics.”
Yaschyshyn is a midwife student and has been working in the clinic’s front administration area. She has been attending to patient care, booking appointments, dealing with tasks and making specialist appointments. She has also been able to pair up with physicians and help with history and physicals for prenatal care, as well as update prenatal records and sit in on prenatal care with the physicians.
“My role this summer has been supporting the admin staff and working with the providers for prenatal and postpartum assessments,” said Yaschyshyn. “My learning experience so far has been exciting.
“When I started here three years ago, I hadn’t begun midwifery school yet and the doctors were filling me in on everything. This was super beneficial for me when I started in my program. Now I am grateful to feel like I can bring the skills I have learned at school and utilize them even when I’m on break. It keeps me fresh and brings a new perspective about working in rural areas.”
Facundo is a nursing student and has been shadowing the LPN at the clinic. She has been undertaking tasks like rooming patients, taking vitals and updating electronic medical records.
“This summer, I’m working in a vitals position where I’m responsible for taking patients’ vital signs,” said Facundo. “The role allows me to work with diverse people and collaborate with different healthcare professionals as part of the team.
“So far, this has been a really valuable learning experience. I’ve had the chance to see what different healthcare professionals do and how they work together, which is helping me expand my understanding of the various paths in healthcare. I’m trying to absorb as much as I can and keep my options open, especially with what I can apply to my future in nursing.”
Yaschyshyn and Facundo will complete their terms this month and return to university in the fall. Having this opportunity to work and learn in their home community has had so many benefits for both women as they return to school and consider their options for the future.
“This experience has brought me invaluable learning opportunities and I am so grateful for the pregnant people who have welcomed me into their care,” said Yaschyshyn. “Unfortunately, without a delivering hospital, a midwife couldn’t work in Swan River right now. However, this experience has brought me an appreciation for rural care and I do plan to practice in rural areas.”
“As of right now, I’m not entirely sure what the future holds, but I’m open to gaining experience in other communities as well,” said Facundo. “This experience has definitely made me appreciate the value of working in my home community, but I also want to explore different environments to continue learning and growing in my career.
“What I’ve enjoyed most about this experience is getting to shadow and talk to some of the nurses. It’s been really helpful to see what their roles look like day to day and to hear their perspectives and advice. It’s given me a clearer idea of what to expect in the profession and what kind of nurse I want to become.

Hot weather on the August long weekend sounds like the perfect time for people to enjoy nature in lake country, which is exactly what plenty of people did in and on the countless water bodies that are within a relatively short drive from the Swan Valley. Pictured here, Nick Gowler visits from Minnedosa and tries his luck at catching fish in Two Mile Lake on Sunday afternoon (Aug. 3).

The Roblin Ag Society’s annual fair and rodeo kicked off Thursday with the popular King Farmer competition, a family affair this year, featuring six teams and 10 stations.
The event saw a record calcutta of $15,600 this year and was won by the father-son team of Mark and Trey Leflar. 
With the long weekend and having to go to print Friday morning, you’ll have to wait until our Aug. 12 issue for more fair and rodeo coverage.  

Many in the tri-community will remember Dr. William Fouad and his time as a physician in northern Manitoba. Dr. Fouad’s son, Paul, has penned a memoir of his parents’ experiences, from migrating to another country to settling in northern Manitoba. Recently, Dr. Fouad and his wife, Laura, celebrated their 60th Anniversary amongst family and friends.
“This memoir started as a gift to my parents and something they could leave their grandkids,” said Paul Fouad. “Their grandkids are disconnected, not only from my parents’ culture but their life story as well. This is a way for them to connect.
“As I began writing this, I really got into character and what my parents were about. My dad is a remarkable person and my mother is very special too. Now that I’m older, I’m starting to see the incredibleness of what he did and how difficult that must have been. For someone to leave family, uproot to a new country, and leave behind their culture to form a new one with their family.

The Opasquia Trails held their Annual General Meeting (AGM) on July 19 at the Grace Lake Boardwalk. The past year was discussed and the goals that were accomplished.
“The AGM focused on highlights from our 2024 year,” said Opasquia Trails Board Member Meagan Molin. “This included all of the progress and completed aspects of our accessibility plan, an overview of our financial situation, streamlining of our information storage, new merchandise, and events such as the trade show. We took a good look at what goals had been achieved, and which ones we need to continue working towards.”
This year, the boardwalk sustained some damage that really set things back.
“The boardwalk was placed along the west bank, as traditionally the winds blow from the west, thereby blowing any melting ice away from the boardwalk,” said Molin.

The family of Kendara Ballantyne are still looking for answers and healing as they host the sixth annual Remembering Kendara Memorial Walk. Each year, this walk is to remind everyone of what happened to Kendara, but it’s also to help everyone who has been impacted by a missing or murdered Indigenous Person (MMIP).
“I don't know if our walk has been a solution in preventing people from going missing, but it has definitely become an outlet of healing in our journey,” said Gloria Ballantyne-Packo.

Residents at the Swan Valley Personal Care Home (SVPCH) have another beautiful view to enjoy thanks to the talents of local artist Melanie Bird and the financial donation from the Swan Valley Credit Union. This is the second mural that Bird has painted at the care home, with the first one being a scenic farm setting.
“Last summer, I painted a wall for the residents on the north end of the building and so the PCH approached me about doing another mural for the residents on the south end of the building to enjoy,” said Melanie Bird.
“The PCH wanted paintings that reflected the beautiful Valley in which we live. Since many wonderful lakes surround our valley, they decided to choose a lake/wildlife scene for this painting. The painting isn’t necessarily Wellman Lake specifically. It was intended to represent the lakes that surround our Valley in general.
“However, since we have a family cabin at Wellman Lake, the scenes are definitely inspired by that lake,” said Bird. “I tried to incorporate a variety of wildlife that we would typically see at any one of our lakes in the area, including deer with fawn, a mallard duck pair with some ducklings, geese, moose, rabbit and a loon.
“I’m hoping that each resident, no matter which lake they most often visited, will feel a connection to the painting.”
Bird was able to complete the mural from start to finish in just under two weeks, as there were many components to finalizing the mural and ensuring its longevity.
“I started the painting on July 3 and finished it on July 14,” said Bird. “I’m the type of artist who likes to stay focused on the painting until it is complete, so it was a relatively quick project. The actual painting took about four full days of painting and then it needed to cure for a few days before I put a couple of layers of protective coating on, so that it will be enjoyed for years to come.”
The response from the residents and visitors has been complimentary, as many enjoy the new view on the walls. Most viewers respond to the wildlife portrayed in the mural. Bird has enjoyed working on both murals for the care home and is open to doing more in the future.
“Everyone who walked by was always so happy to see the painting come to life,” said Bird. “Some residents really enjoyed commenting on the animals in particular, giving ideas of other animals for me to paint as well. I think they will really enjoy looking at this painting every time they walk by. Having the opportunity just to work at the PCH for those days was richly rewarding for me. I truly loved the interactions I had with both staff and residents.
“I would be more than happy to paint more murals at the PCH if they decide they would like it, but for now, no other plans are in place.”

The Swan River Valley Agricultural Society Grounds were once again bustling with activity as the NorthWest Round-up and Exhibition (NWRE) drew crowds from near and far. Whether it was the shows and races in front of the grandstand, the tastes of the food booths, the entertainment of the midway, or much, much more, the NWRE had a little something for everybody. Pictured here, a view of the grounds from 1,000 feet up.