I would bet that any child wants to be a superhero at some point in their life. If a child is dealing with a life-threatening illness like cancer, I would bet they would likely love to be pulled from their reality and dream of flying or super strength or super speed.
A group of avid quilters were able to provide a tiny bit of wish fulfillment and cozy comfort when they sewed together 22 quilts with designs of superhero bodies so 22 children would be able to assume their own alter egos when they use the quilt.
“A few years ago, I started a journey that has taken me to places I never imagined it would,” said Jocelyn Marchuk, who organized the quilters.
“I started volunteering as a pattern test for several fantastic quilt designers from across North America. One of these designers is a Manitoba lady by the name of Jennifer Long of Bee Sew Inspired (located in Manitou). Jennifer makes both quilt and doll patterns, as well as more recently designing some fabrics for and working with Riley Blake Designs.
“A couple of years ago, Jennifer put the Be A Superhero quilt up for testing and all I could think was ‘Wow! This would make an awesome quilt to make multiples of and give to children going through cancer treatments in the hospital during the holidays’,” Marchuk continued. “I knew that this could not happen during COVID, but it always was in the back of my mind.
“This year, the pattern kept popping up on more posts and it kept reminding me that I should follow through with my idea.”
At the beginning of October, Marchuk put a challenge out to all of her quilting friends, with the idea of others making the quilt tops and supplying the backing, and Marchuk herself would supply the batting, put it all together and deliver them to the Children’s Hospital of Winnipeg in time for Christmas.
“My goal was to get 20, but I said I would commit to 25,” said Marchuk. “I am happy to say that we received 22.
“I am so thrilled with the variety of colours and the special care these ladies put into all of their quilts. I have quilts from ladies from all across Manitoba, as well as a lovely lady who messaged me and asked if she could join our cause from Reno, Nevada. She mailed me her quilt top and asked me for the number of our local quilt shop so she could purchase her backing from our local store.”
Each quilt has a card attached with a message of joy and strength and tells the family who created their individual quilt.
On Wednesday (Dec. 7), the quilts were gathered to be photographed together at the SVRSS, with one quilt being presented to Cameron Coulthart, a Grade 12 student who has been battling his own cancer diagnosis.
On Friday morning (Dec. 9), Marchuk met with a Child Life team representative at the Health Sciences Centre to deliver the precious cargo.
“Although this project was my idea, it is really the ladies who answered the call and who are my superheros, and I want to thank them all for making my wish come true,” said Marchuk.
“Children is where my heart is. When you’ve seen families struggle with children who have been diagnosed with cancer and have to go through these struggles, this was something that I could do, create a little bit of joy for these families and their children. Hopefully we did that.
“I would like to now challenge everyone to take some time and think of a way that you can use your time and talents to bring joy to those around you during this holiday season,” Marchuk continued, adding that there are 110 beds in the Children’s Hospital of Winnipeg, so it’s never too late to make something special for the children who have to stay there over Christmas or any time of year.

The community of Swan Valley demonstrated its lasting legacy when the Community Foundation of Swan Valley (CFSV) held their 18th annual meeting and grant night on Wednesday (Dec. 7) in the banquet room of the Westwood
Inn. During the evening, more than $140,000 in grants and scholarships were announced...

Junior high teams from Minitonas and Swan River converged in the gymnasiums of the SVRSS and the ESRSS on Wednesday (Nov. 23) to compete in Valley Champs, determining the best junior high volleyball team in the Swan Valley.

The Valley Stage Players made their grand return last weekend (Nov. 18-20) with a production of Deputy Jan, a play by Richard Gremel produced by special arrangement with Heuer Publishing LLC. Proceeds from the dinner theatre event went to benefit the Swan River Valley Agricultural Society.

Community Remembrance Day services returned to being held indoors for the first time since 2019.
Prior to the service in Swan River on Nov. 11, a parade – featuring RCMP members, Cadets, Swan River Fire Department, Canadian Rangers, the Swan Valley Stampeders and community members – marched from the Veterans Community Hall to the Cenotaph near Taylor School to lay four wreaths – to honour the Air Force, Navy, Army and RCMP.
The outdoor ceremony continued indoors at the Veterans Community Hall.
Royal Canadian Legion (RCL) Branch No. 39 President Neil Griffith opened the ceremony by requesting to March on the Colours. O Canada was sang before trumpeter David Gnida performed the Last Post, followed by a minute of silence, the Rouse, and the Act of Remembrance. Griffith also recognized those from the Swan River Legion who have passed on, which included Maurice Roberge and Brent MacDuff.
After the Deposit of Colours, those in attendance observed 24 wreaths laid by Veterans, local government members, RCMP, the fire department, service clubs, and families honouring their relatives who fought.
Pastor Bob Lewis led this year’s service, opening with the song In Flanders Field from the Taylor School Choir.
“Beauty has a cost,” he said. “We see through the poppy, to the men and women who gave and sacrificed their time, their energy, their lives.
“Today is set aside for those living icons, the men and women of the First War, and then that Second War, and then the Korean War, and the peacekeeping missions, and in Afghanistan and around the world today. We do look to them for their knowledge and wisdom, and as living icons, we look through them to see humanity. We see us, and that capacity within us to give of ourselves, our capacity for sacrifice.
“We have not been able to gather together on this day, these past two turbulent years,” Lewis continued. “Remembrance Day is the only day of the year that we as Canada gather together in one room with all of our differences, political, religious, ethnic, cultural. Remembrance Day is not about us. This service looks beyond this month, this day, this hour, because of the serge, the poppy and the veteran.”
Following a Prayer of Remembrance, the ceremony concluded with the singing of God Save the King, and with the March off of the Colours.
And, until the next Remembrance Day, we will continue to remember them.

The Swan River Curling Club hosted a curling clinic on Friday (Oct. 28) for all ages, bringing in instructors Lorne and Chris Hamblin from the Cargill Curling Training Centre in Morris. Sessions included stick curling in the afternoon and a Learn to Curl session for everyone in the evening. Saturday and Sunday (Oct. 29 and 30) also included other more advanced individual and team classroom and on-ice sessions to hone the skill of the local curlers.