The Swan Valley has been known for turning out some of the best and most recognized physicians in Manitoba. At the start of the year, former Valley physician Dr. Adrian Fung started as Prairie Mountain Health’s (PMH) new Chief Medical Officer. Dr. Fung was drawn into medicine due to his love of helping people.
“I was attracted to medicine, and becoming a physician specifically because I wanted to help make a difference to those who I felt needed it most,” said PMH Chief Medical Officer Dr. Fung. “I spent time volunteering at the children’s hospital in Edmonton during my university training and loved being able to be there to help the patients as much as possible, even in my limited capacity at the time of being a volunteer.
“As you can probably guess from my volunteering experience, I initially went into medicine intending to become a pediatrician. After spending time in each specialty while at school I discovered that I actually liked all of them, and so ended up choosing to do as many specialties as I could at once; I decided to become a rural general practitioner.
“I went to university at the University of Alberta in Edmonton and then to medical school at University College Cork in Cork, Ireland,” said Dr. Fung.
Working in a rural setting was instrumental in the experience, training and knowledge that Dr. Fung had acquired at the start of his career. Not only did he become trained in different aspects of healthcare, but it also set him up for leadership as well.
“I think that there is a lot to be said for gaining experience as a rural physician,” said Dr. Fung. “Practicing in a rural area requires a physician to use all of their knowledge, and to rely heavily on clinical skills and acumen, rather than on having every investigation and specialty available nearby. When I started my practice in Swan River, I wished to fulfill my original goal as a rural physician who could do a bit of every specialty as part of my practice.
“What I gained beyond this was an opportunity to be a physician leader and an appreciation for the incredible amount of community collaboration towards improved healthcare that occurs in rural communities. I was able to see what advocating as a group of physicians can accomplish with the help of strong community support to improve healthcare delivery.
“Overall, living and working in Swan River helped me become a well-rounded physician, gave me experience in physician leadership, and built-in me an understanding and appreciation for how much positive change we can make when we work collaboratively together as physicians, health care workers, communities, and as a region,” said Dr. Fung.
Dr. Fung accredits his time in the Valley to fostering his leadership skills. Once he had left the area, it opened the doors to big roles in leadership within the RHA.
“I gained my first experience in physician leadership in Swan River,” said Dr. Fung. “I was in that role for about six years total, and while in that role I gained a better understanding of how community needs are addressed, what we can do as physicians to help advocate for our communities, and how we as a community fit into the larger picture of our entire health region.
“After I moved to Brandon, an opportunity arose to take on a larger leadership role as the Interim Associate Chief Medical Officer for PMH. I thought I may be able to use the skills and experience I gained from Swan River to help advocate for my rural physician colleagues and the rural communities within PMH. In this position, I found the needs of our region to be complex and generally desperate. I had a lot to learn about every community in a short time, but I enjoyed learning.
“During this short period, I thought that the Chief Medical Officer position would benefit from a rural physician’s experience and perspective, and it seemed that PMH agreed,” said Dr. Fung.“I officially became the Chief Medical Officer for PMH on January 1, 2024. I’m new to the role, and most looking forward to creating discussion and dialogue to create positive change within not just PMH but Manitoba as a whole.”
Dr. Fung finds that being the Chief Medical Officer is just a heightened aspect of being a physician. He now finds himself thinking about staffing and the care of patients on a much broader level, rather than one patient at a time.
“The responsibilities largely differ in scope rather than in principle,” said Dr. Fung. “The Chief Medical Officer is required to be a physician, and as such always views decisions from the lens of improving patient care, and advocating for your patients. The added largest complexity is that the scale is at the size of an entire health region rather than that of an individual practice, and representing these interests at provincial level discussions.
“To further add to this complexity, the needs of the patient need to be well balanced with the needs of the physicians, and how this fits with the rest of the provincial picture, especially in this time of staffing shortages. There is a very high risk of physician burnout at this time, and hospital visits are increasing as the ability to access primary care has decreased. This is certainly a challenging time for everyone, and I commend our physicians and our communities for all that they have done and continue to do.”

Last Wednesday was McHappy Day, a time when McDonald’s raises money for their in-house charity the Ronald McDonald House (RMH), which provides a home for families who have a child facing health complications or medical treatments from a city hospital. In Manitoba, two RMH locations in Winnipeg provide accommodations for families who find themselves in either one of those difficult circumstances.
Local Valley family Jon and Lisa Boyko, experienced first-hand how truly wonderful of a place the RMH is when you are faced with a child who is experiencing medical complications.
“My husband and I were expecting our first child in May of 2018,” said Boyko. “After what seemed to be a normal pregnancy, I went into pre-term labour at 25 weeks. We quickly found ourselves in Winnipeg at the Health Sciences Centre (HSC) with nothing but the clothes on our backs and a 25-week gestation baby fighting for his life.
“Micro preemies have a long and complex medical journey. We knew if our child survived, we would be in Winnipeg for months with a lot of follow-ups depending on the prognosis. It was the NICU social worker who referred us to the RMH. Unfortunately, there were no rooms available at the time, but we were a high priority on the waiting list given our distance.”
The Boykos found themselves in a tough situation when their son, Abel, needed long-term medical care that only a hospital in Winnipeg could provide. Like most families in similar types of situations, they didn’t have a place to stay long-term in the city while getting care for their children.
“We have a few family members that live in Winnipeg and they did help us out for the first week and a half,” said Boyko. “We were told we could stay as long as needed, however, when you are looking at a lengthy stay such as ours, you don’t want to wear out your welcome. The costs started to add up with parking and a half-hour commute one way every day.
“Neither I nor my husband wanted to be away from the hospital, so all our meals were at the HSC cafeteria. We were sitting in the NICU for 14-plus hours a day with no nearby place to rest. It became exhausting.
“A few days before we got a room at the RMH and were given the only parent room next to the NICU,” said Boyko. “The keys to this room are given to the parents of the sickest baby in the NICU, allowing you to be there in seconds if needed. We were there for two nights then got a room with the Ronald McDonald Family Rooms in the hospital before getting a permanent room at the house.”
When it comes to a family’s need to stay at the RMH, there is no time limit. Some stay for only a few days, while others spend several months, as their child receives medical care and treatment. This can make the RMH a very busy place that sometimes doesn’t always have vacancies.
“We stayed for 140 consecutive nights at RMH before we were able to bring our baby home,” said Boyko. “Over the next few years, we had many trips for follow-ups, MRIs, and surgeries. Since we had already been registered with the house, I would simply call to check for availability. We were never turned down, they would have a room for us, but the one time they didn’t they assisted us in getting a Canad Inns room at a deeply discounted rate.
“All our stays were at the old RMH in Winnipeg and our appointments became virtual with the pandemic. Recently, we had a health scare that led to a life flight to HSC. After not staying at the home for two years and with the build of the new home, I was worried there would be changes and we would not be able to get in, however, that was not the case. When I called that morning, they immediately had a room available for me.”
For many who have stayed at the RMH, it becomes a home away from home that provides all the comforts and care that a family needs while going through a difficult time when it comes to their child’s health.
“Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC) offers so much to families in their time of need and is truly a home away from home,” said Boyko. “You get your private bedroom, there are fully equipped kitchens, laundry facilities, playrooms, private parking lots to park a vehicle, a secure outdoor area to gather and so much more. But it goes above and beyond the comforts of home.
“I had staff and volunteers offer to wash my laundry when I was spending long hours at the hospital, while volunteer groups came in and cooked meals with food they provided. I have never had someone come to my home and offer to cook or do laundry. The house is a wonderful thing, but it is the volunteers and staff who commit their time to make it a home away from home.”
Boyko feels that the RMHC was a true lifesaver for them when they needed it the most. It allowed them to be by Abel’s side at all hours, and be a constant part of his recovery and development.
“Financially RMHC removes a huge burden when you’re at the hospital full-time and there is no way you can work,” said Boyko. “Keeping things afloat back at home is a challenge, never mind having to take up another residence somewhere else. We had our room that was a five-minute walk to the hospital, with all the amenities we needed.
“I believe it is extremely important for parents to be by a sick kid’s bedside. Without the RMHC we would not have been able to be at his bedside daily for as long as we were. I wholeheartedly believe that the endless hours we spent at the hospital, talking to him, and doing kangaroo care contributed to such a positive prognosis. Without us being there, he may not have done as well as he did and for that, I’d like to think that the countless hours we spent by his bedside helped, and we were able to spend every day at the hospital thanks to RMHC.”
Abel has come a long way since the initial traumatic diagnosis given to him at birth. It was a rough start for both Abel and his parents, but now he is thriving beautifully.
“Abel is excelling beyond the prognosis that he initially received,” said Boyko. “We had been told that the chances of him being able to walk, talk, and lead a life that did not involve a high level of care were slim to none. There was not a day of our stay that was easy, but the first two months were ideally the worst.
“Almost daily I had a doctor tell me ‘If your baby makes it’ and they would go on with a long list of complications that they see happen. People who know Abel, now see a kid who can walk, run, and talk your ear off once he warms up to you. He defeated the odds. We do still have some worries and will have follow-ups in the years to come, but overall, he is doing exceptionally well and has had doctors question his prematurity.”
Boyko looks back at the experience of the RMHC with a fondness, for the volunteers and families she met there, created a support network that she still has to this day. One never forgets the kindness of strangers who help out when it’s greatly needed.
“I will always cherish and remember the friendships we made with other families in the home,” said Boyko. “I met people from all walks of life during my stay, some even from other countries. Through your unique yet similar experience of having a sick child, you build bonds and friendships that you otherwise would not have if it wasn’t for RMHC.
“Yes, your friends and family are there for support, but they truly cannot understand or comprehend the things you are seeing and going through. You find yourself with this support group who understands, you vent to each other and offer each other tips and guidance. They become your second family and you truly cannot forget these people. To this day, I stay in touch with many of them and have even met up with them on a few occasions even though we live miles apart.”
The Boyko family is forever grateful to the RMH for all it has done to keep them with Abel during his stay in the hospital and for the appointments he has had in the city, but they also are thankful to the local organizations who helped them as well.
“On a side note, although this is about RMHC and we come from a small community there are many ways people can contribute to aiding families with sick children,” said Boyko. “Such as our local Lions, Kinsmen Club, and church organizations which all helped us immensely.”

Winnipeg’s number one morning show, featuring a former Valley resident, has another accolade to its credit. Last week, Tyler Carr won an award for Radio/Podcast Host of the Year, and although it’s not Carr’s first award attributed to his work on-air, it’s still one that means a lot to him.
“I’ve won a few awards in the past, but this one specifically, I’ve never received,” said Winnipeg Energy 106 FM Radio Host Tyler Carr. “This one is for the Winnipeg Nightlife and Style Awards and it’s voted by people online. People go online to vote, and the top-voted contestants move on to the next round. The voting happens again and then the winner is chosen by the number of votes. It’s kind of like the Grammys, where they have the list of nominees and then announce the winners live.
“This award was different than the other ones, for me, because this one was more local. It had people from Winnipeg and all over Manitoba voting, whereas the other awards I received in the past, were voted on by boards or members. To get an award that is voted on by people in your community and listening area is surreal.”
The criteria this particular award is based on, comes from the fans and listeners themselves, for they are the ones who cast the votes. For Carr and his team, their morning show is both a regular timeslot feature and is also a podcast for people to take in whenever. Carr believes this played a pivotal role in him winning the award.
“The award is Radio/Podcast Host, so it’s out of a pool of people who are hosting morning, afternoon or evening radio, or someone who is hosting a podcast show,” said Carr. “It’s a versatile award category, but at the same time, it’s all-encompassing. For me, the best thing is doing the morning show. I just love being a part of hosting the morning show on Energy 106.
“My best friend and colleague, Dave Wheeler, also edits our show and makes a podcast out of it. So, for the listeners who didn’t catch the morning show, they can still get our show at any hour, at any time, with no music. It still provides what’s happening and going on in the area, which allows people to still access our content. We have this radio show and it’s also a podcast, so I think that helped me in terms of this award.”
Carr recognizes that not everything discussed on-air can have that light and fluffy feel to it, but the overall goal is about connecting with people on a real level and one that they find themselves in, during that specific moment.
“We don’t steer away from having hard conversations on radio and sometimes tensions get high, but we like to be real and show every emotion,” said Carr. “That is the part of the morning show I love the most. I get feedback from people in Winnipeg to Swan River, who appreciate that raw emotion that they can’t get anywhere else that time of day. It helps people not feel alone first thing in the morning on that drive to work or wherever they may be starting the day. I wouldn’t change this timeslot for anything in the world.
“We do this feature called the Loud Line and I think it’s my favourite thing. It’s a voicemail that callers can call in at any time and they leave stories, jokes, rants, or whatever and we play it at the same time every day. I love it because we get these messages and hear what others are going through or having to say, which allows us to hear their stories. So, they are listening to us, and we are listening to them. It’s like we are interacting with them on a certain level.”
There are several components to being an on-air radio host that Carr loves. Although mornings may not be his thing, he loves being a part of helping set others on the right foot to start their day.
“I will be honest, I am not a morning person, but I love the timeslot because it’s when everyone is going to work and you have the opportunity to help them get ready for their day,” said Carr. “Maybe they woke up not in a good mood or are stressed out, and we are trying to set them up as best as possible for their day, whether that is trying to make them laugh or giving them information so they can be aware. I love that.
“Then when I’m out in the community, I will have listeners come up to me and tell me they were having a really bad day and we said something on the radio that made them laugh and it changed the rest of their day. That’s why I love that timeslot because I have the opportunity to make someone else’s entire day better.
“Honestly, the feedback we get back from people listening, also helps us with our day, because we’re starting our day in the studio,” said Carr. “When they are sending you positive text messages, it just feels like a radio hug with people that you don’t necessarily know and I love that because it’s all about the message of positivity.”

Attending camp as a child can create so many life skills and fond memories. Madge Lake Bible Camp (MLBC) has been well-known in the area for its summer camp opportunities for youth and is now celebrating its 70th anniversary in operation. Since its conception, MLBC has not only grown in size, but in the programming, it offers as well.
“MLBC was founded in 1954, with a desire to have the gospel message become more clearly understood by more people,” said MLBC Camp Director Ryan Wiesner. “Jack Shakotko had a vision to start a Bible Camp, and Walter Zinkiew and others from Swan River, Minitonas, Kamsack, Little Woody, Alpine, Durban, Benito, Pelly, and Roblin all came together to have a work bee to clear the area.
“The first summer, there were only tents at the camp. The next year they added a long building with five cabins in it for the girls. The year after, they added another long building with five cabins in it for the boys. Later, they built a chapel with a kitchen in part of it.
“In 2010, the camp board bought the Riding Stables, and it has added so much to our programming,” said Wiesner. “We offer five weeks of Ranch Camps for ages 10 and up, from beginner to intermediate, and these camps always fill up fast. Hardcore Ranch Camp is our advanced riding camp, where campers get to take their horses on an out trip, riding to different locations in Duck Mountain Provincial Park for a few days. Also at the Riding Stables, we also offer riding lessons, trail rides and wagon rides to the public throughout the summer.
“The camp has grown so much from the tent cabins and chapel it was at its beginning. We now have 20 buildings on site including cabins for campers and staff, a dining hall, a chapel, etc.
“Just two summers ago, we added a biotech to our sports pad, a tarp building over a cement pad that we call the gym, which doubles as storage space in the winter,” said Wiesner. “This has immensely helped our program, especially on rainy days.”
Wiesner has experienced firsthand what it was like to be a youth that attended MLBC. Those memories and experiences have stayed with him all through the years and led him to take a more active involvement at MLBC as he got older.
“I was very fortunate to have the opportunity to attend MLBC as a child,” said Wiesner. “I remember three years, possibly one more, that I got to attend. It was always such a highlight for me and I have many wild stories from time spent at camp.
“Probably what I remember most was the chapel time when the gospel became real to me and later in the evening during cabin devos, I was able to talk and pray with my cabin leader.”
“Camp ministry has always had a special place in my heart,” said Wiesner. “I regularly volunteered as maintenance, cabin leader or even as a cook in the kitchen at various camps in the area, usually, one to two weeks every summer since I was 18. When I was in my mid-twenties, in 2004, my girlfriend at the time, Andrea, who is now my wife, and I decided to go and work at the camp full-time for the summer as cabin leaders.
“The next year, 2005, the camp board called me in April, to see if I would consider being the director for that summer. As I was just graduating from Bible College, I decided I would give it a try, and as they say, the rest is history.”
MLBC has not only grown in size but in capacity and attendance as well. The pandemic didn’t deter youth from returning to camp and last year’s attendance numbers were record-breaking.
“Our attendance has been going up and up the last few years,” said Wiesner. “When I first started as Camp Director in 2005, the camp had 255 campers that summer, which grew to 465 the next summer.
“This past summer we broke the previous year’s attendance record with over 1,000 campers. Lately, it has been very rare when our camps are not at full or nearly full attendance.”
MLBC experienced the challenges, much like other programs and organizations, when the pandemic hit. Staff were creative and found ways to run day camp programming in communities in the surrounding areas, and were able to keep youth engaged during that time period.
“We were unable to run overnight camps in 2020, because of the pandemic,” said Wiesner. “That summer we revamped our program and did day camps in different communities such as Swan River, Roblin, Yorkton and Langenburg. We also did two weeks of day camp at the camp. That year we were still able to see around 400 campers in our day camp programs.
“The next year we had planned for day camps again, but the Saskatchewan government gave overnight camping the green light in June, so we completely redid our schedule and offered overnight and day camps.
“One thing we noticed throughout the pandemic, was how our supporters continued to help the camp in lots of different ways,” said Wiesner. “Financially, we are so grateful for how people continued to help us during that uncertain time.”
With camp programming fully restored, there is a wide variety of camps and programming for youth to choose from. For many years, schools have been doing year-end summer field trips at MLBC as well.
“We have camps for all ages,” said Wiesner. “We have a Squirt Day Camp for ages 3-12 on July 1. We have overnight camps all summer for ages 7 and up. We have weekend retreats for young adults, adults, and seniors. We offer two family camps, the first one is the Family Rodeo Camp from June 14 to 16 and the second one is Family Camp from August 2 to 4.
“We also offer a variety of camp programs. Our Ranch Camps often fill up fast. We have a Wilderness Camp for teens, where they learn basic survival skills. Just a few summers ago, we started offering Sports Camps for kids and teens who love and want to be coached in volleyball and basketball. Junior Sports Camp, for ages 10-13, is July 22-25, and Senior Sports Camp, for ages 13-18, is August 5-10.
“For many years we have been offering programs to school groups that come from both Manitoba and Saskatchewan,” said Wiesner. “Our programming includes a rock wall, archery, canoeing, biking, arts and crafts, field games, geocaching, pond dipping, fire building, and more. We are always looking for creative ways to reach out and support schools in our areas and love having teachers and their classes participate not only in programs but fun and organized ways of creating lasting memories.
“We offer school groups and have a few retreats in June. Our official camp kick-off day is July 1, on Canada Day. We have a Pancake Breakfast in the morning from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. at the camp. We also run Squirt Day Camp in the afternoon for kids and families.
“The Stables are open from May long weekend to September long weekend,” said Wiesner. “For more information on all of our camps, or to book a ride at the stables, check out our website www.madgelakebiblecamp.ca. We actually offer programming year-round, to the surrounding communities, geared towards kids, teens and young adults through monthly events. For more information on any of these, check out our socials.”
The hiring of staff for MLBC is a big undertaking and there are lots of different positions and responsibilities to fill.
“It takes a lot of staff, which we call summer missionaries, that come in either a volunteer capacity or in a paid role,” said Wiesner. “We have many support staff that help at the camp as LITs, CITs, cooks, nurses, program staff and maintenance. Other front-line positions are cabin leaders, stables staff, and camp speakers, who all work together to help run the camp, especially with as many programs as we have going on at one time.
“There are many weeks that we are offering up to three different programs at the camp. For instance, we may have the main camp going at the same time as ranch camp, at the same time as sports camp or wilderness camp. While we may be also offering a day camp, either at the camp facilities or in one of the surrounding communities, we are also offering public stable opportunities all at the same time.
“This last summer we had over 90 summer missionaries and that is not including all the amazing adult volunteers that come out to serve in the kitchen, maintenance, and nursing positions,” said Wiesner.
Wiesner enjoys every aspect of MLBC, from the programming for the youth to watching them progress from kids attending to becoming cabin leaders.
“We have many returning campers and staff, and the transformation we get to see over the summer and over the years is amazing,” said Wiesner. “We have campers who have started coming to the camp at age 7 and now are cabin leaders. I love seeing their growth in maturity and in their relationships with God and with the other campers and staff. Seeing kids grow in their faith and in their leadership, skills is very rewarding.”
A big celebration in honour of MLBC’s 70th Anniversary is planned for this coming weekend with some entertainment and a look back at the past 70 years.
“On April 13 we will be celebrating the camp’s 70th Anniversary with a Banquet Celebration,” said Wiesner. “Everyone is invited to attend, there will be no entry fee, but will include a free-will offering. We will have a short program with talented musicians, Travis Kranz and Josiah Paul, sharing some music, a slideshow with older to newer pictures, and we want to honour the builders of Madge Lake Bible Camp, the many volunteers that helped to start and continue the camp throughout the years.
“We have been so fortunate over the years to be surrounded by many people in the various communities that have come alongside the camp and have helped in so many ways. If you or someone you know of has poured into the camp over the years, please consider this your invitation to come celebrate our 70th Anniversary.”

Swan Valley cattle rancher Bruce Anderson is coming close to watching his family’s way of life hit a milestone in celebrating 100 years of breeding cattle. Anderson can remember his time growing up on the family farm, how very different it is from today’s generation and way of doing things.
“When I was growing up on the farm, there was a lot more manual labour back then,” said Bruce Anderson.
“It was really hard to balance any sports or school activities with farm responsibilities. We had outside chores before and after school from the time I was ten or so.
“We made over ten thousand square bales each year for use in the barns and for the cattle shows.
Working on the show cattle in very cold barns and travelling to the shows across Canada and U.S. without cell phones is something I think about a lot.
“Things have gotten a lot more automated and our equipment and infrastructure has improved considerably,” said Anderson. “The requirement of off-farm income to support the family farm has added a lot of pressure and time constraints.”
Anderson’s father learned to manage money very early in life and passed that skill on to Bruce. He grew up knowing that there would be years where things would fluctuate and that it was important to have some extra in waiting, for those times. Anderson also embraced the advances that came with cattle breeding, which helped with the succession of not only the breeding of cattle but operations in general.
“My dad was very frugal and taught me to be careful with my money and that has helped us through the tough years of growing our farm,” said Anderson. “We implanted some of the first embryos in the early seventies and that technology has improved our herd considerably through the years.”
Cattle farming was something that was in Anderson’s blood, so it was no surprise that he would continue on with the family farm and breeding cattle.
“Our family had been raising Angus since 1933, so it was all I knew, and in my heart,” said Anderson.
“I purchased my first Angus cow when I was nine and now almost 50 years later, she is still the breed of momma cow I want to have on my farm.”
There are a lot of factors to consider when breeding cattle, particularly when establishing a purebred line such as Anderson has done.
“You need patience to watch the animals develop, it takes 36 months from conception to the first calf off a female you bred to see the results of your matings,” said Anderson.
“There have been fads in the purebred industry through the years, but we have always strived to produce a consistent product as our customers are the commercial cattleman and whatever we produce has to work for them. We source genetics from across North America to constantly improve our herd, through the use of artificial insemination and embryo transplant. “
Anderson has heard from his father and experienced the impacts of what a drought year can do to cattle operations. His father experienced one of the worst droughts in history in 1930s and then Bruce himself recalls the drought from 1960.
“I remember my dad talking about his mom walking the cattle up to the Roaring River to water daily, where our farm is located now,” said Anderson. “This would be a two-mile walk with small children and literally a hill both ways. We were fortunate in the Valley to not feel the effects of the severe drought like the southern parts of Canada.
“Dad and his brother also cropped land and were somewhat diversified so that helped.”
Anderson can recall the work put into their first bull sale in the Valley and now the event has grown both in size and work involved in putting it together. In 2014, the Andersons began hosting their bull sale directly on their farm.
“We started out in a group sale called the All Breeds Bull Sale with other local breeders,” said Anderson.
“Their efforts and cooperation improved our marketing options and helped make Swan Valley known as a place to purchase bulls. We always deal with distance living here, and over the years technology has helped bridge the miles. We have sold bulls by private treaty as well and established our own sale in 2010, and holding it on the farm required facility for the sale.
“We advertise through a lot of different venues and now produce our own catalogue, taking videos and pictures ourselves. Technology has broadened our target markets and we often have bulls go across the prairie provinces and into the US; however, the majority are within a 100-mile radius. We always wanted to keep our sale local as we are firm believers that supporting your local community is the secret to keeping it thriving.”
Bruce is now watching as his children carry the torch and looks forward to watching the family legacy reach the milestone of 100 years.
“At times it is hard to let go of the reins, but I’m very proud of the integrity and work ethic our kids have,” said Anderson. “My dad would have been also. He loved the cattle industry and the Swan Valley, and both Austen and Breanna respect the legacy he left. I hope that I have helped to instill that in them. Watching our grandchildren grow up and knowing our love of this industry is my greatest reward. I look forward to our 100-year milestone in 2033.”

Teachers in the Swan Valley School Division participated in training delivered by the Treaty Relations Commission of Manitoba (TRCM) this past Friday. Teachers from Grades 9 to 12 attended the morning session, while teachers from kindergarten to Grade 8 attended the afternoon.
TRCM’s Treaty Education Lead Connie Wyatt Anderson was the facilitator and is a former resident of the Swan Valley. Her passion for storytelling led to her calling to teach history.
“I grew up in Mafeking and went to high school in Swan River,” said Wyatt Anderson. “It felt like I was related to everyone and my parents still live there. My dad was a real seasoned storyteller, so I think early on I got a love of local stories and history. I attended the University of Winnipeg and when I finished, I ended up teaching in Opaskwayak Cree Nation (OCN).
“OCN had just built a new school and I was offered a job teaching history. That was just the perfect fit for me.”
Wyatt Anderson taught at OCN for 22 years and then in 2014, left to focus her time on pedagogical writing.
This led her to become part of TRCM developing curriculum and teaching about the treaties and their role in Canada.
“While teaching history back then, I was following the history curriculum and textbook and it was a reflection of its time, and even back then I noticed there were massive gaps in it,” said Wyatt Anderson. “The nice thing about history is that parts of it may be in textbooks, but it’s also in the people, the land, the language and is all around you. The coolest thing about being a history teacher is using the framework from the provincial government and then making it meaningful for the students.
“In 2009, Jamie Wilson became the second treaty commissioner in Manitoba and I knew him personally because he is from OCN. We taught together. When he came in, one of his goals was to begin an education initiative, where students in schools could learn about the treaties. He reached out to me because he knew I had been involved in curriculum development with the Province, so over the years I had been on five different curriculum teams.
I was asked if I was interested in doing it and that is how I got set on this path.
“When I first got started, I’ll admit, I knew just the bare bones of what a treaty was,” said Wyatt Anderson. “I had an understanding as a history teacher, but it was Jamie who really taught me to see it from the perspective of a partnership. It wasn’t just about Indigenous people; it was about factors such as how one’s non-Indigenous great-grandfather accessed land back then and relating that piece to how things unfolded.
“I came in and framed the curriculum. After being a long-time teacher, I knew the project would be successful if it was there to support teachers, not give them extra work. No teacher needs another special project; they have so much already to do. I will refer again to the recipe analogy, but this was like a meal kit, giving teachers the information, they needed to put it together. This was meant to support what they were doing.
“One of the first things I thought in my head, was this cannot be a special project, because those tend to be fleeting and die out,” said Wyatt Anderson. “Our friends in Saskatchewan had done the same thing and they predated Manitoba’s treaty education by a decade. They were excellent supporters to us.
“From there we started off offering workshops on treaty education. I’ve been all around Manitoba and sharing this with teachers.”
Wyatt Anderson encourages educators to use the information they learn about treaty relations and personalize it to suit the area, relevance and audience they are teaching it to.
“I always tell teachers to use the curriculum like a recipe,” said Wyatt Anderson. “There is a reason why allrecipes.com is so popular. The first thing everyone does with a recipe is make it their own, and you can do that in the way you teach history.
Two people can take the same recipe and adjust it for the people they are cooking for, much like teachers can do that with the way they teach history.
“I kind of like the idea of contested history, but when an event happens, not everyone sees it the same way. There are things where two people could witness the same thing and have different takes on it. Everybody tends to think that history is about a regurgitation of facts, it is to some extent, but it’s also about skills too; the ability to weigh evidence and develop critical thinking.
“Nothing in history is random; you have to look at the patterns. Every single thing is connected, except when a tornado hits.
Students are really good if you give them the leeway to find the connections. Dates don’t fall out of the sky and nothing is random.
“Teachers were doing great work already and I knew that,” said Wyatt Anderson. “I think that teachers sometimes aren’t supportive enough and I think by providing something like this, it gives them a little more courage to learn and teach more on something that may be outside their normal scope. This initiative started as a voluntary one and was for an entire decade. A lot of people embraced taking this opportunity to learn about the treaties on their own, while some school divisions totally embraced it. All this stuff predates the calls to action.
“We’re in a different place now, it’s 2024, and when we first started a lot of people were gobsmacked, because they didn’t know any of this. Many said they never took it to school or didn’t understand any of it.
Some people were empowered and felt they could do this and incorporate it into their teaching plans, while others could see themselves in this narrative about treaties as well.”

There is a strong divide in the Valley when it comes to the topic of a shelter in the community. There are some who that feel having a shelter in Swan River will only increase crime and encourage more people who are experiencing homelessness to come to the community. There are others who feel that there is a definite need to provide shelter to people who don’t have anywhere to sleep when the temperatures drop down to -30C below or colder.
In the neighbouring community of The Pas, Oscar’s Place is an emergency shelter that has been operating for quite some time. It’s had its challenges over the years with having enough funding to keep the doors open, but it’s also provided a safe place for those in need to keep out of the cold.
Town of The Pas Mayor Andre Murphy feels that having a shelter in the community is the social and morally right thing to do, but also wants more services in the community to help with the other issues that have led people to be homeless in the first place.
“It’s important to recognize that there are a group of individuals in our communities who are having issues with housing needs,” said Town of The Pas Mayor Andre Murphy. “It’s good to have a shelter because we don’t want people to freeze to death, but it has to be accompanied by complete wrap-around services to help with issues of addictions and mental health. Oscar’s Place is designated as an emergency shelter and is only supposed to be used by a person for a few days. Without the services to help people address what had led to the issue of homelessness, there is a possibility of people then treating the shelter as a residence, which then takes away from it becoming an emergency shelter.
“There are just not enough addiction supports for people in our community and there is no quick access to mental health supports either. There’s a definite gap to deal with here. I’ve spoken to people in the community who use the shelter and they’ve shared with me that they are struggling with addictions and want to get help, but there is over a three-week waiting period for them to get into addiction treatment. I’ve also heard others tell me they went for addiction treatment and came back here, which is their home community, and went back into the exact same environment they were in before, with no transitional housing or support to maintain sobriety. There were no supports to access housing, employment and sober living. So how does a community expect to break the cycle of homelessness, if we don’t have all the supports in place?”
Murphy doesn’t agree with the mentality of kicking people out of The Pas who are homeless. Many of the people experiencing homelessness are originally from the area, and Murphy also believes that people have the right to come and stay in a community if they choose to.
“We need to take care of people who are struggling and don’t want to see anyone freezing to death,” said Murphy.
“As human beings, we should have a heart and compassion to make sure no one freezes to death. As for those who say the homeless need to go back to where they came from, well those people who are homeless in our community are citizens of The Pas. They may have come from somewhere else, but if they choose to come to our community and want to stay here, then that’s where they live.
“As the Town of The Pas, or Opaskwayak Cree Nation or the R.M. of Kelsey, we can’t take care of the homelessness situation on our own; we need more support.”
The Pas also runs a soup kitchen through The Pas Friendship Centre. The Pas Friendship Centre is very familiar with the homeless population in the community and believes that Oscar’s Place is a definite need in the area.
“Oscar’s Place saves lives, plain and simple,” said The Pas Friendship Centre Executive Director Doug Bartlett. “The weather in northern Manitoba, being what it is, takes a toll on the homeless population. Oscar’s Place provides up to 26 people, with a warm place to spend the night.
“That being said, I believe the shelter could be twice as big and there would not be enough room for all the homeless population. Another concern was that Oscar’s Place was not open during the day, however, this has been rectified. The homeless population can now attend the shelter from 3:30 p.m., and this will be until the cold snap has ended.”
Bartlett doesn’t believe a shelter is a drawing card for more homeless people to come to a community. There is a lack of affordable housing all across Manitoba, and it gets particularly worse, more north of the province.
“I do not believe having a shelter in our community is the reason so many people are coming to The Pas and find themselves homeless,” said Bartlett. “What has been a major factor in the homeless issue in our and every other community in the north, is the lack of housing. Many people that come to our community are here because there are 12 to 18 people living in the same house in their home community.
“They come to the larger community of The Pas and soon find themselves on the streets. Then the addictions take over. The longer they are on the streets, the harder it is to intervene and provide services. Many of the homeless population have been walking the streets here for many years, and this is their community too.”
The Pas Friendship Centre realized that if people don’t have a place to keep warm in the community, then they also do not have food to sustain them. Recently, The Pas Friendship Centre expanded its soup kitchen from its building into a separate one on LaRose Avenue.
“The soup kitchen provides the homeless population a warm meal once a day,” said Bartlett. “For many of them, this is the only meal they will have that day. While they are at the soup kitchen, there is an opportunity to provide them with information and services.
“These can range from assistance with health information to having clothing provided. We have both a Health Navigator and a Homeless Navigator on staff to assist them. As well, we also have a Homeless Mentor who works directly with the community homeless. One of the impacts on the community is there are fewer people roaming the streets when the soup kitchen is open. We do however have rules such as, if you are intoxicated in any way, you will not be allowed in.”
Bartlett shares many of the same views as Murphy when it comes to the need for wrap-around services in the community to help reduce homelessness, addictions, poverty and crime.
“The staff at The Pas Friendship Centre have a very trying job,” said Bartlett. “ We cannot let our personal biases dictate our actions in how we work with the community homeless people. The staff have developed relationships with our homeless clients on a basic level that understand that they are where they are and can move forward from there.
“To address the homelessness in northern communities, it comes down to providing housing and addiction treatment services that are based in the north. Sending people south for treatment and then returning them to the same situation they left will not bring the client to a place where they are able to stay clean and sober.
“Addiction to substances has been classified as a medical disease by Health Canada,” said Bartlett. “Too often communities choose to ignore this and blame the addict with the age-old adage that if they had a moral compass, they wouldn’t do drugs. It’s this type of nonsense that has been detrimental to addictions for years.
“Even when an addict has gotten treatment, there are so few rental spaces in this community that individuals end up on the streets and after a few weeks, they fall back to old patterns and ways of living. As a community, we need to come to the realization that housing is a major factor in homelessness.”

When a child gets sick or has a traumatic birth, people in the community step up to show support in a variety of ways. Last year, baby Theo Derry was born premature and faced some uncertain odds in the days ahead.
“My great-grandson Theo was such a premature baby that when he was born, he was only 23 weeks and four days,” said Theo’s Great-Grandmother Julie Bell. “If he had been at 22 weeks, they wouldn’t have even likely tried to save him. He just was passed that time and the wonderful staff at St. Boniface Hospital saved his life.”
Theo’s mother Breanna Mault, was fortunate to have her family there to support her and her children during this turn of events.
“My daughter, Jennifer, and I took care of the three other children that Breanna has, while she and Theo’s father stayed in Winnipeg at the Ronald McDonald House,” said Bell. “The Ronald McDonald House was a complete saviour to them at that time. We travelled back and forth to Winnipeg for quite some time.”
Theo’s family began to see progress in his development, which was very promising and gave them all hope for a positive outcome. Theo has progressed immensely but still is working on muscle development.
“One of the things that gave us hope in the beginning, is that Theo took to eating the special formula from the start,” said Bell. “Within the first month, he was able to eliminate properly, which meant that some of his organs had already started developing properly. He is doing really well with most things but isn’t sitting up on his own yet, because now he is starting to develop muscles. Theo is just a little slower at crawling because of muscle development.
“Theo is showing promising signs and he is a responsive baby. He has had one laser surgery to correct his peripheral vision, which they say can improve as he grows.”
As a result of Theo needing to be in close contact with medical professionals and therapy services, Breanna and her children have had to move to Winnipeg to ensure they have consistent access to care. The move has come with some challenges, as it keeps Breanna from having her mother and grandmother close by for support.
“Breanna has another son, before Theo, that was born premature, so she knows a lot about the exercises that need to be done to help him develop those muscles,” said Bell.
“She needs to be here in the city where she has those supports close by and access to the doctors. Breanna and her children have since moved to Winnipeg because Theo still needs some care and services that are much more accessible in the city. Theo is now just over a year old as of Jan. 2, and weighs about 15 lbs.. He’s eating well and has specialists that he has to see regularly to check on his development. His brother and sister just love Theo and being with him.”
Bell is in awe of how the medical field has progressed, especially when it comes to the care and treatment of premature babies. In a short span of time, there has been so much progress in this field and thanks to that innovation, it has helped babies like Theo reach their targeted goals for development.
“It’s just amazing the amount of innovation and improvement they have done in the health and science field over the last few years,” said Bell. “Theo should not have survived with the kinds of odds he was facing, but it’s amazing how far he has come along.
“He’s a very content baby and has the biggest grin you’ve ever seen. Theo likes to be in his swing, and once his neck muscles are a little stronger, they will put him in a special chair to give him support and continue that muscle growth. He spends a lot of time on the floor doing special exercises to build those muscles.”
Bell, her daughter, granddaughter and family are truly moved by the generosity and caring of the people in Valley during their time of need. People showed incredible support through donations which helped the family out during all of Theo’s medical needs.
“There are times where it’s difficult for Breanna to be out there with the three kids, but we are all so grateful to the people of the Swan Valley,” said Bell. “Some money was raised through the GoFundMe page and we had jars up in the community, which also brought in more donations to help out. Two local service clubs, the Lions and the Kinsmen, also donated.
“I can’t say enough about the people in the Valley; they’re just amazing. It not only helped in that first month but helped carry through afterwards. Breanna is still unable to work as she is providing the care that Theo needs. She still has some time left on her maternity leave, but that will be running out soon and she will have to look at other options.”

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.”