The Community Foundation of Swan Valley (CFSV) held their sixth annual Spring Granting Night on Wednesday (April 30) at the Swan Valley Historical Museum, presenting several grants to various community organizations around the Swan Valley.
“We’re here not only to celebrate some amazing projects happening across the Swan Valley, but also recognizing the 20th anniversary of the CFSV,” said CFSV President Patti Henkelman, in her opening remarks.
“Over the past 20 years, including the grants presented tonight, the Foundation will have granted more than $1.5 million back into our community, supporting youth, education, recreation, culture and so much more. The Foundation has grown to reach $4.4 million in actual donations as of April 30 this year. Now we are working towards our next big milestone of $5 million with our Drive for Five campaign.
“The Drive for Five isn’t just about hitting a financial target,” Henkelman continued. “It’s about building long-term sustainability. It’s about ensuring that our communities will continue to thrive over generations to come.”
The evening kicked off with some musical entertainment from the talented Terri Boyd and Harper Dahl, singing and playing music for a few numbers, before the CFSV handed out 17 grants to community organizations.
• Benito Splash Park Committee – $50,000 in two parts for the Benito Splash Park build
• Benito and Area Drop-in Centre – $2,400 for building exterior renovation and repair
• Durban Commuity Cemetery – $5,000 for a cemetery information centre
• Swan Valley Snowmobile Association – $8,000 for Phase 3 of a shop heating system
• Swan River and District Community Resource Council – $4,000 for a commercial dishwasher in Heritage Manor
• Steeprock Bay Bible Camp – $1,250 for archery program equipment upgrade
• Swan River Nursery School Inc. – $5,000 for bathroom renovations
• Tread the Thunder Bike Club – $2,000 for a trail groomer
• Minitonas and Bowsman COPP – $2,000 for COPP operating equipment purchase
• Minitonas and District Arena – $3,500 for a water fountain and bottle filling station
• Wellman Lake United Church Camp – $8,000 for Phase 2 of a water system upgrade
• Swan Valley Girls Softball Association – $2,000 for jerseys purchase
• SVRSS – $3,000 for first aid equipment purchase
• Minitonas School – $4,300 for basketball equipment upgrades
• Minitonas School PAC – $3,500 for school outdoor space
• Swan River Trap Club – $4,500 for a storage building
• Bowsman Community Skating Arena – $4,500 for an overhead door replacement
Three grants were also given out by the Youth in Philanthropy (YIP) program, which is headed up by SVRSS teacher Carol Larson.
• Steeprock Bay Bible Camp – $500 for archery program equipment upgrade
• Tread the Thunder Bike Club – $1,000 for trail groomer
• Swan Valley Girls Softball Association – $1,000 for jerseys purchase
The students of the YIP program also fundraised $1,000 to be invested with the CFSV.
“From our founders 20 years ago, to the volunteers and donors who support us today, this foundation is a reflection of the Swan Valley’s strength and spirit,” Henkelman concluded.

Canadian voters returned to their polling places yesterday (April 29), as Elections Canada facilitated the federal general election that would choose our Members of Parliament, and ultimately our government in Ottawa. Results were not available at press time. Check next week’s Star and Times for more.

Students from the SVRSS have once again shown their merit and were rewarded with some hardware at the Skills Manitoba competition, held on April 10 in Winnipeg. Ten students participated, with four of them making it onto the podium, including the SVRSS’s first ever gold medal in the Carpentry Secondary category. Grade 11 student Spencer Burghart got the first place finish in his category, which will qualify him to participate in the Skills Canada competition, which is scheduled to take place from May 29-30 in Regina, Sask.. “I also won gold at Northern Manitoba Skills and prepared for two weeks prior to provincial Skills Manitoba,” said Burghart. “I was really proud of myself for achieving gold in provincials and am very excited about national Skills Canada and competing for Team Manitoba.”
Burghart’s task was to build an arbour, displaying his skill with precise cuts and measurements. Three bronze medals were also won, with the third place being won by Arden Baskier in Workplace Safety Secondary, Sam Cooke in Graphic Design Technology Secondary and Egan Finlay in Electrical Installations Secondary. “I feel the students did really well,” said Peter Fleming, one of the SVRSS teachers who coached the Skills students. “Even if they didn’t make the podium, they took the initiative, worked hard and took that extra chance to capitalize on the opportunity to make themselves better. It looks good on a resume and you can get out and network with people. “This isn’t only about winning a medal. This is about improving yourself and expanding your horizons. That’s why we do it.”

Small business entrepreneurs of all kinds need to pay attention as new Swan River author Chris Reimer has mapped out his top tips for success in his new book How to Win at Small Business: The 10 Keys to Success.
Reimer describes his book as a practical guide for Canadian small business to navigate challenges, avoid common pitfalls, and hopefully achieve lasting success.
“When writing it, I purposely tried to avoid using business acronyms and jargon as I wanted to ensure it was clear and understandable for everyone, regardless of their background,” he said.
Reimer has lived most of his life in the Swan Valley, having moved to the Birch River area with his family when he was a child. His wife, Myrna, was also raised in the Valley, and they moved away for close to 10 years before returning home to raise their family, and have been here since.
As a Chartered Professional Accountant, Reimer has worked with small business owners in different industries, locations and backgrounds during his entire career. He has also owned his own small businesses.
“Although learning never stops, I feel my education and experience has given me an understanding of the type of guidance those involved with Canadian small business will find helpful,” he said.
Reimer describes in his book that Canadian small business – as defined as those with 1-99 employees – have a startling failure rate.
“During my 30 year career in public accounting practice, there were small businesses which struggled, but also inspiring success stories,” he said. “I began to wonder early in my career what were the key commonalities that differentiated those businesses that succeeded from those that failed. My book is based on what I learned and describes 10 key differentiators which I believe are primary drivers of lasting success.
“I started to make notes and create a rough outline of the book approximately 15 years ago. As I had time, I would add to it, and after I retired in late 2023 from my partnership role at MNP, I began to write the manuscript. Writing a book and having it produced is a much bigger project than I initially expected, but I am pleased with how it turned out.”
Among the differentiators are business basics such as understanding cashflow, never stop planning and focusing on sales, but also important management skills like empowering employees and building culture.
“Every business owner would likely identify most closely with one or two of the differentiators described in the book as an area of weakness and one they need to work on,” said Reimer. “I would say mine would be the 10th differentiator I describe called ‘Live Life’.
“As an accountant in a busy public accounting firm, achieving any level of work/life balance during a significant portion of the year can be a challenge. It is easy to let work begin to overtake you and rob you of time with family, friends and just making positive memories in general. Failure to find some level of balance, as I describe in the book, can lead to many issues and one we all need to guard against.”
With this book, Reimer is targeting primarily aspiring and current Canadian small business owners, but it is also applicable to managers, advisors and anyone else who has an interest in small business.
Reimer’s book received a positive response from Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC) President and CEO Isabelle Hudon, who said,
“Being an entrepreneur is a challenging journey, and one that is often exacerbated by unexpected market events. For those willing to rise to the challenge and pursue the entrepreneurial dream, Chris Reimer’s highly readable book is an invaluable guide.
“His 10 ‘differentiators’ offer clear and practical guideposts for all entrepreneurs striving to overcome the pressures of the business cycle. Critically, as we’ve made it our responsibility at BDC, Reimer reminds entrepreneurs that they’re not alone and that there’s an ecosystem of support and tools to help small business owners achieve financial security and well-being in business and in life.”
Other endorsements on the back of his book come from real estate investor, entrepreneur and TV host Scott McGillivray, former NHL player Matt Calvert, Chemawawin Cree Nation Chief Clarence Easter, Restonic Mattress Corp CEO and President Laurie Tokarz and Dr. Bert Van Donkersgoed, co-owner of a medical family practice.
Some of the noteworthy celebrities were those who Reimer has connected with during his career, and others were approached to see if they would have interest in reading the manuscript and potentially provide an endorsement.
“I wanted to ensure I had a broad cross section of individuals from different backgrounds reviewing the manuscript and, thankfully, I was able to achieve that,” said Reimer. “I am very grateful for their support.”
How to Win at Small Business: The 10 Keys to Success is available for purchase online on Amazon and Indigo in both hardcover and e-book formats, and will be available on shelves in some bookstores such as Indigo in the coming weeks.

If you need a little healthy variety in your mealtime, a great thing to pick up is some fresh and delicious microgreens, which Barefoot Farms has in spades – despite the fact that the hydroponic greenhouse doesn’t use dirt.
Owner/operator Dale Mohr has been experimenting a little bit with different species of microgreens, in which the premature sprouts of different plants get harvested early and add a concentrated pop of flavour and nutrients to whatever you decide to add them too.
“You can mix them in a salad or put them on a sandwich, anywhere you want to add a boost of flavour, and they’re super healthy,” said Mohr. “There is three times the goodness on average of the fully grown plant, so that speaks to the amazing goodness in the seeds themselves. I grow them on hemp fibre mats that I get from Edson, Alta., and the seeds from Mumm’s Sprouting Seeds in Saskatoon, Sask..”
On average, microgreens only take between 10 and 14 days, whereas Mohr’s other leafy greens in his greenhouse can take between 30-50 days.
“Borage microgreens can replace a cucumber in a salad, with little need for prep,” said Mohr. “And, I’m never going to need to grow garden peas again. In my mind, the microgreens have way more flavour and half the effort.
“The radish microgreens also come out tasting like a radish, but not like when you sometimes eat a radish that can be woody or bland sometimes. The microgreens nail it every time with great flavour and finish with a burn. I don’t think I’ve made a sandwich in the last year without putting some on.”
Mohr also has some broccoli, onion chives and garlic microgreens on the go.
The remainder of his greenhouse is still well stocked with the variety of different green heads in his completely hydroponic setup, powered by the natural energy of the sun much of the time with some support from artificial lights when needed.
“My dill and arugula is really taking off,” said Mohr. “There’s amazing benefits and great flavour. The arugula has basically gone from being an addition to a salad to people making whole salads out of it. Now, I’m offering a younger and older variety so you can get different textures and taste profiles.”
Mohr continues to grow beet tops, bok choy, swiss chard and kale, along with the different lettuce varieties like romaine and tropicana.
Mohr is also nearly three years deep into his Barefoot Farms business, having started it soon after moving back to his home region of Minitonas, from his lucrative career in the western Prairies.
While he began his business for the love of growing food and being able to work for himself to make a living, he finds that he has even grown as a person in that time.
“I thought the people would be my least favourite part of the process, and I’m learning that it is becoming my favourite as I explore that side of my personality,” said Mohr. “I’m seeing if I can grow what my customers need.
“This has taught me how to be a member of the community, which is the part I’m most excited about diving into. And, this community is awesome with the variety of people that come through my door.”
Mohr has also learned – with first hand knowledge – about operating a small business, about where it is worthwhile to spend money, and about not feeling bad if he is to charge a bit more for an item if it makes sense for his business, as compared to a grocery store.
He’s also had to reduce the hours that he is open, down to Wednesday-Saturday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., to allow for more time off and a better work/life balance.
“I’m better functioning when I’m here if I take a break,” said Mohr. “And, I’m usually always here because my controls are manual and things can heat up in a hurry if you don’t watch (the temperatures). The lettuce is the biggest tattletale, where the tips will burn if it gets too warm.
“I used to be a cog in a machine and now I’m the whole machine. It’s fascinating what you learn as a small business. I’m hoping that if I can get the product right and the people right, the end of the month will take care of itself.”
Barefoot Farms is located just outside of Minitonas, about 1.5 miles west of the Minitonas Hotel.

The Swan Valley Stampeders Junior A Hockey Club held a special fundraising evening for Amara’s Amigos on Feb. 14 during their home game against the visiting Niverville Nighthawks.
While the Stampeders didn’t come away with a win on the scoresheet that evening, the fundraiser was overall a success with local businesses and individuals showing their support for the Amara’s Amigos cause, which was started by Blaine and Lee-Anne Campbell in support of their teenage daughter Amara, who passed away from cancer in 2020. The Amara’s Amigos fundraiser also serves as a memorial for their teenage son Joel, who passed away from a snowmobile accident that same year.
The evening fundraising activities included a shootout auction, Amara’s Amigos merchandise sales, as well as raffles and cookie sales. Overall, the Swan Valley Stampeders and their Hockey Fights Cancer night was able to bring in $11,678.11 for Amara’s Amigos, which will be donated to CancerCare Manitoba, and more specifically to the PROFYLE program, or the PRecision Oncology For Young PeopLE, which Amara was a patient in while she was fighting her cancer.
“We appreciate the ongoing support from the Stampeders group and the community at large, as well as all the businesses and donations,” said Lee-Anne Campbell. “This is part of our mission to supporting other children and families who may have the same devastating diagnoses. We continue to pay it forward.
“It’s great to partner up with them to remember our children’s names,” said Blaine Campbell.
The special game-worn jerseys were also auctioned off, and that brought in an additional $6,400, which the Campbells decided to split evenly between the Amara’s Amigos and the Swan Valley Stampeders. Campbells also intend on putting up more money next year to purchase another set of jerseys and continue the partnership for a third year.