A public meeting held last week to help determine the future of the Dauphin and District Community Food Bank has the organization’s directors re-energized to continue their search for a new home.

About 50 people attended the meeting to learn about the history of the food bank, the important role it plays in the community and the current difficulties it is having in finding a new home after being told it will have to vacate its current location at Parkland Crossing.

The meeting was also a chance to gauge public support for the food bank and brainstorm ideas to secure its future.

“I thought it was a pretty good turnout. I thought it was a lot of positives. We do have hopes for the future now,” DDCFB board chair Robin Gambler said.

“People that were there seemed to care about if there’s a food bank in Dauphin.”

The food bank has been searching for a new location, either to rent or to buy with no resolution to this point.

The Dauphin Church of Christ, which formerly owned Parkland Crossing and leases space to the food bank, has set aside some money to help out and has sent an appeal to other churches in the community.

As of the meeting, approximately $255,000 has been raised to help DDCFB purchase a facility, should one be identified, but directors feel at least $100,000 more needs to be secured before they are in a position to make an offer on any building.

Gambler said the meeting resulted in volunteers stepping forward to organize a public fund-raising plan and visit businesses to help raise awareness and support.

She added pledges from community organizations and contributions were received during and immediately after the meeting.

The meeting provided an opportunity for the board to raise awareness about the need for the food bank.

In 2024, Gambler said, the food bank served 3,720 people - including 1,308 children and 2,412 adults. Numbers grow at every intake, she said, and some days there are as many as 12 to 15 new applicants. 2024 saw the food bank take in 149,293 pounds of food donations and after purchasing the extras needed, distributed 216,485 pounds of food.

That work required 2,081.5 volunteer hours.

“We are a volunteer board of 12 with a lot of duties. It takes 15 volunteers to run a successful intake,” Gambler said.

“We are always looking for new volunteers to help out with pickups.”

Once details of the fund-raising campaign are finalized, Gambler said, people can expect numerous opportunities to get involved.

As the food bank is a charitable organization, all those contributing will receive a tax receipt, Gambler said, adding the building funds will be kept separate from DDCFB’s operational money.

“We’re going to have a building fund. Our treasurer will keep track of every dime that’s going into the building fund and she will mail a tax receipt,” Gambler said.

“There’s going to be fund-raisers coming up, lots of opportunities to get involved.”

With National Indigenous Day falling on a Saturday, the Swan Valley School Division held their celebration on Tuesday (June 17) for all students and staff in the division. A series of teachers and cultural displays were set up throughout Swan River Legion Park, allowing students to learn more about and celebrate Indigenous Canadians.

Construction of the soon to be opened Benito Splash Park kicked off last week. Pictured here are employees from PlayQuest Recreation, who are building the splash park, along with committee chairperson Holly Kushniryk, Municipality of Swan Valley West (MSVW) Lead Hand Derek Chez and MSVW CAO, Kristi Ronnquist (second, third and fourth from the left). The significant project for the community is hoped to be ready for use by the end of summer.

The Town of Swan River has honoured two Swan River iconic leaders by naming two upcoming streets after them.
Dick Walker Trail and Glen McKenzie Bay will be the official designations of two new streets as part of a future residential subdivision north of the Rotary Soccer Fields and Orville Minish Field.
“These names are more than just markers on a map, they are lasting tributes to two men whose dedication, leadership and service have left a mark on our town,” said Town of Swan River Deputy Mayor David Moriaux, during an unveiling ceremony held on Thursday (June 19).
Moriaux recognized Glen McKenzie’s achievements during his time as part of the Town of Swan River council, which he was part of from 1988 to 2018, 23 years of which were as Mayor.
McKenzie was instrumental in building bridges between communities, notably through his role in the first Treaty Land Entitlement agreement between Swan River and the Sapotaweyak Cree Nation (SCN) in 2012, laying the groundwork for reconciliation and mutual respect. Since that time, SCN has also established two more Urban Reserves, and Wuskwi Sipihk First Nation has also developed an Urban Reserve.
McKenzie also helped form the G7, a coalition of Swan Valley municipalities that contributed to strengthening shared goals.
“One of his biggest accomplishments was the establishment of the 2014 Wellness Centre – a project that, despite its challenges, has become a key component of health and well-being in our community,” said Moriaux. “He also championed the Medical Services Recruitment and Retention Committee, ensuring that Swan River remained a place where families could access quality healthcare.
“Today, Glen McKenzie Bay stands as a symbol of leadership, vision and community spirit.”
McKenzie also was awarded the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal in 2012, as a recognition of his service and commitment.
“I’m honoured to have a street or a bay named after me,” said McKenzie. “When you join municipal government, you never think about those kinds of things. In the 30 years I was in municipal government, I was very fortunate to have very good people to work with.
Dick Walker – who passed away in 2014 – was also recognized for his life dedicated to volunteerism and community service. He was a long-time member and president of the Swan River Rotary Club for more than 20 years, and served in the Swan River Valley Agricultural Society for 50 years. His passion for conservation was also evident in his 30 years of volunteer work with Ducks Unlimited.
From 1972 to 1980, Walker served as a town councillor, and even after his term ended, he remained involved through the Parks and Recreation Committee. He was also a driving force behind the Richardson Recreation and Wellness Centre, and the visionary behind the Duck Mountain Forest Centre, a project that continues to benefit our Valley’s environment and education.
Walker was also recognized with the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal in 2012, as a testament to his lifelong commitment to making Swan River a better place.
“Dick Walker Trail will now serve as a lasting reminder of his generosity, his passion, and his enduring impact on our community,” said Moriaux.
Walker’s son, Bob Walker, accepted the honour on behalf of his late father.
“(Dick Walker) would be extremely proud of this,” he said.
Both the McKenzies and the Walkers received a replica street sign for themselves, and the official markers will be installed at some point in the future when the streets for the subdivision are further developed.

Presenting Swan Valley Regional Secondary School’s Class of 2025!  Graduates celebrated their final year of high school on Friday (June 20) with ceremonies, a banquet and dance.

Swan River’s Kal Tire once again hosted their annual fundraising barbecue on Friday (June 13), with hundreds of meals being served to loyal patrons and community supporters looking to support a local cause while having a great meal. This year’s fundraising support went to the Heyes School Parent Advisory Committee, which is raising money for some outdoor playground upgrades...

Close to 50 students graduated from Assiniboine College at its convocation ceremony, Friday afternoon.

Following a blessing by Elder Reg Nepinak, Parkland Campus director Carol Stewart gave some opening remarks, followed by greetings from AC president Mark Frison, as well as greetings from Kayla Gillis of the Assiniboine Alumni, welcoming the graduates to the association.

Abigail Worrall, one of 12 students from the Practical Nursing program, then gave her valedictorian speech, stating it was an honour for her to deliver the address.

Worrall began by stating she had applied on a whim for the Practical Nursing program two years ago and just three days before the program began.

On her first day, she said, she sat down in her seat and was immediately overwhelmed with imposter syndrome.

“I questioned myself. Do I belong here? Am I smart enough to fill this seat?” she said, adding she was sure every graduate in attendance entered their program of choice with the same questions and not knowing if they would succeed  and doubting their own capability.

Worrall noted she soon realized a valuable lesson that carried her through her journey.

“We are capable of so much more than we let ourselves believe. It is only when we let go of those toxic doubts, start to believe in ourselves and begin to see our full potential that we can truly thrive,” she said.

“Now look at us today, celebrating the remarkable achievement that is graduating.”

Suddenly, she added, those distant doubts feel so silly and meaningless. Graduation day, Worrall said, testifies to the hard work, dedication and sacrifices they all made.

“But today is also a testimony to how capable, intelligent and deserving we are of this success. We have worked irelessly to reach this milestone and now, here we are, at the threshold of a new chapter, ready to turn the page into the unknown of the real world,” she said.

Worrall noted during the first year of school, Minegoziibe Anishinabe (formerly known as Pine Creek First Nation), gifted the campus a sacred bison skull, a symbol of strength and resilience.

Elder Reg, she said, met with students to share its profound spiritual meaning.

“I can vividly recall his words as he spoke about the bison, how it charges straight into the storm, meeting it head on without hesitation,” she said, adding Elder Reg told students to be like a bison, to face every storm, every challenge and every hardship with courage, not to run from it, but to push through it.

His teachings, Worrall said, resonated with her, leaving a lasting impression, guiding her through every test, every sleepless night and every setback she encountered during her time at the college.

“As we now begin to transition into our careers, we undoubtedly will endure plenty more obstacles. Let us all carry this powerful lesson along with us, remembering the strength of the bison to confront whatever adversity we may face,” she said.

Worrall then directed her comments to those who taught them, stating none of the graduates would be where they are today without the guidance of the dedicated, inspirational and passionate instructors.

“They have been with us every step of the way, offering encouragement and support, uplifting us to be the best possible versions of ourselves. With unwavering patience, often answering the same question 10 times or more, their hard work and commitment do not go unnoticed,” she said, adding a heartfelt thank you to her instructors on behalf of the Practical Nursing program students.

“You have not only taught us the clinical skills required for the nursing profession, but also the compassion, empathy and resilience needed to thrive in this demanding field. Your devotion to our success has made a lasting impact and profoundly shaped our lives and nursing careers,” she said.

“We will deeply miss the classes, skills labs and practicums with you immensely. Your exceptional guidance in the Practical Nursing program has been invaluable and we owe our success to you.”

Worrall then turned her thoughts to the students’ families and friends, who, she said, were beaming with pride and probably a little relief that they were finally done with their education.

For the full story and list of grads, read this week’s edition of the Dauphin Herald.

No parent should ever have to experience the loss of a child, yet tragically, so many have. Stuart and Bonnie Lang have lived through it. Their daughter, Payton, was born with a serious heart condition that led her to spend a lot of time in and out of hospitals during her life.
“Payton was our first child, so our experience in having her became normal to us,” said Lang. “Living in and out of the hospital, taking time off work to take her for surgery and to recover was part of our lives. I didn’t want to put her in daycare at first, because I was worried about the care and medications involved, and I didn’t feel comfortable putting that level of responsibility on someone else.
“Before Payton was born, we found out she was going to have a congenital heart condition called hypoplastic left heart syndrome. It impacted her from birth, as she had her first open heart surgery when she was not even a week old. Then she had a series of three open heart surgeries before the age of four and multiple heart catheterizations and other procedures at an early age.
“After her last corrective surgery, we saw cardiology every six months and then once a year, until she was about 12,” said Lang. “When she started having growth spurts, it was like the corrections and surgeries couldn’t keep up. Then she started experiencing severe heart failure. Children with the condition are considered to always be living with heart failure, even after the surgical corrections, because they take a four-chambered heart and make it into a two-chamber one. This causes the heart and circulation to work very differently from normal.
“She started having much lower oxygen saturation levels and that indicated her heart was not functioning as well as it should. One of her heart valves started leaking quite significantly, so she needed a valve replacement. This was very traumatic because of complications from the surgery Payton’s heart didn’t maintain a proper rhythm. A week later, she had to have a permanent pacemaker put in.
“After that, things continued to go downhill,” said Lang. “Payton wound up in liver failure, which caused her to have verocies, which are like aneurysms that happen along the esophageal tract. She would have internal bleeding from it. Around this time, we ran into Lee-Anne Campbell, we had grown up not far from each other in Minitonas.
“This led to being in and out of the hospital for a week at a time. They did several things to stop the verocies, but things were deteriorating very quickly. It was then decided she needed a heart transplant and we were sent to Edmonton for an assessment. We had to live there while she was being assessed.
“It was determined that Payton needed both her heart and liver transplanted. They decided to do them at the same time because they realized she wouldn’t be able to survive one transplant without the other. During that time, Payton and I moved to Edmonton, while Stuart and Kasey lived in Winnipeg. We had to be in Edmonton waiting and were told it could take up to three years for a transplant.
“I did all of her care out of the hospital, because I didn’t want her to be hospitalized for the three years. I learned how to do pic line dressings, changes for an ART line and all kinds of medical things. Payton had all her nutrition given to her through IV and I had to do that as well.”
Despite the hardships of the Lang family being apart while Payton was waiting for her transplants, they were still able to spend some quality time together. During the uncertainty and stress of the situation, the Langs found the Ronald McDonald House was a beacon of comfort in such a time of need.
“We were fortunate to be able to access the services of the Ronald McDonald House,” said Lang. “When Stuart and Kasey came to Edmonton, we went there and they had two rooms full of handmade blankets that people donated for children to have. Every child at the Ronald McDonald House, as well as their siblings, can go to that room and select a blanket for themselves.
“Payton chose a quilt and Kasey chose one similar to it. Those blankets brought so much joy to both of our girls and they each had something to treasure. After that, Payton used only that blanket and it was her favourite thing that brought her joy.”
The Langs’ hopes fell short after Payton’s transplant surgeries. They were faced with their worst fears happening and losing Payton.
“Payton then had her transplant and it was successful, but she ended up getting a fungus, and that was what cut her life short, not the transplant,” said Lang. “At the time Payton died, Kasey was eight years old and she didn’t understand all of the things that had happened. When the doctors told us Payton couldn’t survive and that we would have to have her disconnected from life support, we spent her final night all together in the hospital room. They set beds on each side of Payton’s hospital bed and we held her as she took her last breath. Our parents were with us as well.
“We had to drive home from Edmonton without Payton, and that was the longest drive home of our lives.
“Payton was a very unique spirit,” said Lang. “A lot of children who go through major illnesses and spend the majority of their lives in the hospital experience different challenges and circumstances than others. Payton was always a kind soul, no matter how rough things had gotten.
“She was often described as a collector of souls, meaning she found people and loved them. She was like that with people of all ages. A lot of her friends reach out to me and are still in our lives.”
The Langs wanted to keep the memory of Payton alive and looked back on things that made a real impact on them during this experience. The memory of the girls picking out blankets at the Ronald McDonald House and the comfort it gave them during those tough times inspired Payton’s Comforters.
“I have always wanted to do something in honour of Payton and celebrate her life,” said Lang. “I kept coming back to the different types of gifts she had received while in the hospital. There are lots of amazing people who do and give amazing things to kids in the hospital. It came to me that I could do something and find a group of like-minded people to help me create handmade blankets to donate.
“My goal was to have something set up like at the Ronald McDonald House, where every child could go in and choose a blanket, but I found out that the Children’s Hospital has 1,000 to 2,000 children that go through it every year. That was a huge undertaking and I knew it wouldn’t get to that right off the start.
“I got in contact with the Child Life Team through the Children’s Hospital and they were interested in giving out the blankets,” said Lang. “We started giving blankets out to those children who were sickest in the hospital, until we could get to a stage where every child would get a blanket.
“I started Payton’s Comforters back in 2023, and it started off being myself and some family members who made blankets. The first year, we donated a total of 20 blankets. In 2024, we formed a formal board and are now a registered CRA charity. In 2024, we donated our 100th blanket to the hospital.
“This year we set a goal to give another 100 blankets and before the end of May, we had donated another 100 blankets,” said Lang. “In total, we’ve donated 200 blankets now. That is something that makes me so happy. So many people have reached out to us on Facebook, and they support this cause.
“Everyone has some connection to a child who has needed to be hospitalized in Winnipeg. When children are there, those rooms are impersonal and they feel overwhelmed by the situation, and having something soft, personal and theirs can bring them comfort. That is why I called it Payton’s Comforters.
“Payton’s Comforters has a wish list out there for people to donate stuff such as material or supplies to make blankets,” said Lang. “They can make a blanket and reach out to us on Facebook to donate it or money. We greatly appreciate everyone who donates to this cause.”

On 15 Parkway Drive, Aniyah Strate (Left) and Rylee Webster (Right) set up a lemonade stand (June 6) to raise funds for the evacuees who fled their hometown’s to evade the wildfires in the northern region of Manitoba. The money raised would go towards ice cream coupons for those in need.

The first five months of 2025 proved to be a little busier for Dauphin Fire Department (DFD) than the same time frame in 2024, fire chief Cam Abrey told Dauphin city council at its regular meeting May 26.

Abrey said this year,  DFD has responded to 97 incidents as of May 22, an increase of 17 calls over 2024.

Abrey said the increase was due to motor vehicle collision calls doubling year-over-year and a busier spring with wildfire calls.

“Outdoor fires were exponentially raised, because it was a bit of a drier spring this year and there were a few fires that were getting away out in the RM,” Abrey said, adding there have also been three mutual aid calls in 2025 compared to one last year.

“A couple of large ones in Gilbert Plains that we went out and assisted with. But they have been here assisting us, as well. So we’re scratching each other’s backs lately this spring.”

There have been nine structure fires this year, which Abrey said is on the high side. Three of those fires in January and one in April are attributed to individuals squatting in detached garages.

Two of the nine fires are considered suspicious in nature. One was in a home in January, Abrey said, and the other was the announcer’s booth at the grass ring near Rotary Arena in February. The remaining structure fires were accidental in nature, he added.

In other areas, EMS lift assists are being monitored to determine the impact on DFD’s operations.

When it comes to covering two separate municipalities, Abrey said 13 of DFD’s responses have been to the RM of Dauphin, totalling 379 personnel hours, while 81 calls have been City and motor vehicle incidents totaling 1,352 hours. The three mutual aid calls have resulted in 88 personnel hours.

Those statistics can change quickly, Abrey added.

For the full story, read this week’s edition of the Dauphin Herald.