Dauphin has a radon problem.

Participating in the latest 100 Radon Test Kit Challenge through Take Action on Radon and BC Lung, the community had confirmed what was widely known, radon levels in the city are well above Health Canada guidelines.

Targetting communities where radon testing has thus far been limited, but where there is a potential for homes to have elevated radon levels, the 100 Radon Test Kit Challenge program provides municipalities the means to provide up to 100 test kits to citizens for free.

In Dauphin 200 test kits were distributed to monitor radon levels for a period of 90 days. A community report following processing of the kits showed that 92 per cent of the homes tested were above the Health Canada guideline of  200 becquerels per cubic metre.

And while that number might not mean much to people, radon - a naturally occurring radioactive gas found in every building in Canada as a result of the breakdown of uranium in the ground - is a serious problem, said deputy city manager Lisa Gaudet.

“Dauphin has been identified as having one of the highest rates of radon in the soil in Canada, not just in Manitoba, but in Canada,” Gaudet said.

“It is critical that we get the messaging out there. I think that because radon is odourless and you can’t see it, people don’t want to really face the fact that it’s a risk to their health. And it is a serious risk. Radon is the leading cause of lung cancer in non-smokers. More than 3,000 people in Canada die each year from radon-related lung cancer.”

To address the problem Gaudet has prepared a proposal for  Health Canada’s Radon Outreach Contribution Program for $45,000 to support the roll-out of a  three-year Radon Action Plan for Dauphin.

As radon levels vary, even between neighbouring houses, the only way for homeowners to determine their home’s radon level is to test for it.

Given that, the main thrust of the proposal is for the City to spearhead an additional 100 Radon Test Kit Challenges annually over three years, each November, which is Radon Awareness Month, Gaudet said.

Find the full story in this week’s edition of the Dauphin Herald.

Amara’s Amigos, which consists of family and friends of Amara Campbell continue to fundraise money for CancerCare MB Foundation in memory of Amara, who passed away from osteosarcoma on September 14, 2020, at the age of 15. The money is used by CancerCare Manitoba Foundation (CCMBF) to support youth with cancer, especially rare and hard to treat cancers for children and young adults.
Last year’s garage sale and cookie and lemonade sale brought in $5,400. The silver collection at the Minitonas Stocking Stuffer and Craft sale last December brought in $500. Then earlier this year, the Swan Valley Stampeders Hockey Fights Cancer brought in a whopping $19,050.50. Blair and Lee-Anne Campbell presented a cheque to Patti Smith from CCMBF this past March.
“We are humbled by the ongoing support from our families, close friends and Swan Valley community at large,” said Lee-Anne Campbell. “We have received incredible support since Amara’s cancer diagnosis in 2019.
“Our awareness and fundraising events for CCMBF continue to give us a place to direct our grief and remember Amara before and during her brave 19 months of living with cancer. CCMBF provides critical funding to support cancer research and treatment for all children, with a special focus on children and young people with rare and hard to treat cancers.
“The genetic testing program called PROFYLE (PRecision Oncology For Young peopLE) and all funds that we collect stay in Manitoba, directed to this program, which supported Amara during her cancer treatment,” said Campbell.
“The first fundraiser was led by Amara as the ambassador for the 2019 CCMBF Ride Inside, alongside Blake Wheeler, former Winnipeg Jets hockey captain, and his wife Sam. That was a very special time for Amara. She felt the love of Swan River Valley around her as her team contributed more than $19,000 from the Swan River Valley in her honour. There have been various Ride Inside events every year since, other than 2023. The thank you list is too long at this point but includes our families, close friends, strangers, school staff, arena staff, businesses, non-profit groups, Stampeders group, Star & Times.”
In total, $97,216.21 has been donated to CCMBF in memory of Amara.
The Amara’s Amigos shirts and hoodies were created and sold for cost. There was a huge response from the community and the Campbell family finds it heartwarming to randomly see people wearing them when around town.
“The Amara’s Amigos group and clothing logo were initially created in 2019 by a group of school friends, as a sign of support after her cancer diagnosis,” said Campbell. “The most recent version of the Amara’s Amigo’s logo was a collaboration with the Swan Valley Stampeders Junior A Hockey Team in February.
“We also incorporated a small blue heart with our son’s initials ‘JC’, in memory of our son, Amara’s brother, who also passed away in 2020. He was a gentle, kind support to his sister during her initial year of treatment. Also, his favourite sport was hockey with his hometown buddies.
“It has been heart-warming to see people wearing the purple shirts and hoodies at our events and also randomly in the schools, at the campground, at the arena, on the streets,” said Campbell. “The clothing helps to keep Amara’s memory alive as well as representing support for all kids and families who have suffered from childhood cancer.”
Amara’s Amigos are hosting their annual garage sale this weekend. Another event being planned for November is the CCMBF Ride Inside and then the Stampeders Hockey Fights Cancer Game which will be announced at a later date.
“Annual Amara’s Amigos Garage Sale & Cookie Sale started in 2021, as one step of the fundraising for CCMBF,” said Campbell. “Each year it has been held in September as it is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, also in memory of Amara as she passed away Sept 14, 2020. Family and friends donate their baking skills, time and a variety of gently used items. So far we have not run out of treasures to sell.
“The event provides everyone with a special few days to visit, support each other, remember Amara and fulfill a personal purpose for Blair and me, to support other kids and families living with childhood cancer. Amara’s cousins, grandmas and aunts have taken on the cookie sales as their special project.
“This year’s garage sale and cookie sale is scheduled for Saturday, September 21, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at 215 Parkview Drive Swan River,” said Campbell. “People can also drop off monetary donations to CCMBF that day, and all donations of $15.00 or greater will receive a charitable receipt mailed out from CCMBF.
“We thank every single person who has supported Amara’s Amigos since 2019. We are very thankful and blessed to live in this special community. Please wear a gold ribbon in September in honour of all children and young people who have missed out on precious years of life due to childhood cancer.”

A group of people gathered together on Sept. 10 in downtown Swan River to walk in recognition of World Suicide Prevention Day, held every year at this time. World Suicide Prevention Day was first launched in 2003 by the International Association for Suicide Prevention as a way of focusing attention on the problems of suicide worldwide. The theme of this year’s walk is ‘Changing the Narrative on Suicide’ which aims to raise awareness about the importance of changing the narrative surrounding suicide and transforming how we perceive this complex issue.

The Roblin & District Health Care Auxiliary is celebrating a major milestone in October.

The auxiliary is celebrating its 75th year of dedicated volunteer service to the community and is holding a fundraising luncheon Oct. 25.

Read all about it in this week’s Review.

The Manitoba government is establishing nutrient targets to protect Manitoba’s lakes and rivers.

Through the Water Protection Act, the Nutrient Targets Regulation will include Lake Winnipeg and the Red, Winnipeg, Saskatchewan and Dauphin rivers.

It commits Manitoba to report regularly on progress towards implementing the targets and actions underway to reduce nutrient levels in waterbodies in Manitoba.

This provides a clear, measurable benchmark with the goal of effecting real change in the protection of Manitoba’s waterways.

In recent decades, nitrogen and phosphorous have increased in Lake Winnipeg and the Red, Winnipeg, Saskatchewan and Dauphin rivers, contributing to increased frequency and intensity of algal blooms. These potentially toxic algal blooms have serious economic, health and environmental implications and contaminate beaches, reduce water quality and are detrimental to the communities and industries that depend on the lake.

The Swan Valley Credit Union partnered with the North West Regional Immigrant Services to host a Newcomer Welcome BBQ on Saturday, Setpember 7 at the Swan Valley Historical Museum.  Train rides, face painting, soccer and a scavenger hunt kept participants busy...  

The Swan Valley Animal Protection League (SVAPL) held their Annual Open House and BBQ on Saturday, September 7. Currently there are 42 cats and kittens and 10 dogs being fostered that are looking for a place to call home. Please contact the SVAPL to see how you can help...

The Municipality of Roblin Recreation Department and the Roblin and District Chamber of Commerce have been working hard to bring a traditional Fall Harvest Festival to our community for a second year!

The event takes place this Saturday, Sept. 14.

Want to know more? Read this week’s Rec Report.

Local band Low Budget Rock Star has had the opportunity of a lifetime present itself to them. After years of struggles and hard work, their efforts have paid off and they recently signed a record deal with a company in Nashville.
“When I left Nashville, from the last time I was there to record, I got a call back from them and they told me what they wanted to do with my music to get me on their label,” said Low Budget Rock Star Lead Singer and Songwriter Kennie Henderson. “It never really set in for a few months for me, I just thought oh that’s really cool.

A byelection is set for Oct. 30 to fill four vacant positions on the Mountain View School Division board of trustees.

The polling will seek to identify two trustees in Ward 1, which covers the Municipality of Roblin.

One trustee is to be elected in Ward 2, which encompasses the Municipality of Ethelbert, Gilbert Plains Municipality, Grandview Municipality and a portion of the RM of Mountain.

Finally one trustee will be identified in Ward 4 to represent the city of Dauphin.

The Ward 2 seat became vacant this past March when trustee Charlene Gulak resigned from the board to pursue a professional opportunity.

The other seats at the board table became vacant when trustees Scott McCallum, Floyd Martens and Liefa Misko stepped away from the board in early June after superindent/CEO Stephen Jaddock was fired without cause during a special board meeting, May 31.

For the three, the firing was the last straw in a series of events they considered “dark and repressive,” highlighted by a presentation on residential schools by trustee Paul Coffey, which was widely condemned as racist and prompted Manitoba Education Minister Nello Altomare to launch a governance review of the division.

Altomare eventually appointed a three-person oversight panel comprised of Manitoba Métis Federation vice-president Frances Chartrand, Brandon School Division trustee Jim Murray and Manitoba Teachers’ Society staff officer Andrea Zaroda, to assist in navigating board and staff turnover, strengthening governance practices, and community relations and to “ensure that MVSD progresses on key priorities, such as diversity, inclusion and reconciliation.”

Candidate packages for the byelection can be picked up at the Mountain View School Division office, beginning today.

All nominations need to be made in writing and be signed by at least 25 voters, or not less than one per cent of voters in the ward, whichever is less. In all cases, nomination papers need to be signed by at least two voters.

Each nomination must also be accompanied by the candidate’s declaration of qualification.

Nominations may be filed in person at the Mountain View School Division office, Sept. 18, 19, 20, 23 and 24, between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. The papers may also be filed by fax or by a candidate’s official agent.

For more information contact senior election official Kirk Dawson at 204-621-7165 or the MVSD office by phone at 204-638-3001 or by fax at 204-638-7250.