The Sam Waller Museum is welcoming a new curator to be a part of the team in preserving the unique and collaborative history of the tri-community area. Catherine (Cate) Gilpin is originally from Ontario and has an extensive education in history. Combining that with her hobbies, she will be an excellent addition to the staff at the Sam Waller Museum.
“I grew up in a few different places around Southwestern Ontario,” said Gilpin. “I'm originally from Toronto but spent most of my childhood through to early adulthood around Milton and Kitchener-Waterloo, so I always tell people Milton is my hometown.

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.

Roblin’s LEARN Centre hosted a special lunch hour on Wednesday to provide an update on its indoor growing project.
About 10 people took advantage of the opportunity to partake of locally-grown salad greens and to learn more.
Read all about it in this week’s issue.

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.

Midwest Karate The Pas has shown that hard work and dedicated training lead to success. Students in the club attended the JKA National Championship in Winnipeg, where they came home with several medals. The tournament is held annually in the spring and tests the athletes’ ability in both kata (patterns) and kumite (sparring).
"Our students did exceptionally well. I am always proud when they take part in a tournament as it can be challenging," said The Pas Head Instructor Sensei Jodie Kuhl. "Our athletes did bring home a number of medals, which is fantastic. I'm also very proud as an instructor and coach, regardless of the medals. The students work hard and put themselves into competition, not knowing how it will go. It takes a lot of nerve to compete at the national level. Each athlete who attended made our club proud."

The Northern Manitoba Blizzard are in the market for a new head coach and a new assistant coach, which of course means that Blizzard Head Coach Eric Labrosse and Assistant Coach P.A. Deslaurier are moving on to pursue other opportunities.
The announcement came on May 24, just days after the Blizzard had competed in the Centennial Cup in Calgary.
Though it may come as a stunner to fans, it probably shouldn’t. Labrosse guided two young teams to a pair of outstanding seasons – making it to the MJHL final four last season, and winning it all this season.
It’s not public where either Labrosse or Deslaurier will end up for the coming year, and that won’t be known until early June.
The Blizzard owners wished both men the best, praising them for their efforts over two seasons in an announcement on their website.
“Two years ago they came to the club, in the middle of the team negotiating a new venue service agreement, a complete organizational restructure, and a fresh rebuild. Through all the challenges, they were able to take the club into Game 7 of the semifinals of the Turnbull Cup Playoffs in 23/24, then a League Championship and Centennial Cup birth in 24/25.

The United Church of Canada is celebrating their 100th Anniversary this year. The United Church was inaugurated on June 10, 1925, in Toronto when the Methodist Church Canada, the Congregational Union of Canada and 70 percent of the Presbyterian Church in Canada entered into a union.
“This is the 100th anniversary of the United Church of Canada,” said Linda Buchanan. “What is interesting about the United Church of Canada is that it’s the only one that is enshrined as an act of parliament within the Canadian government and law. It was formed in 1925, with the Methodists, two-thirds of the Presbyterian Church of Canada and the Congregationalists coming together and forming the United Church of Canada. They wrote the Act of the United Church.

Dufresne Swan River is celebrating a milestone anniversary, having been in business in the Valley for 25 years. Store Principal Dee Palsson started the business up after transitioning a family business into the Dufresne line.
“I worked with my stepfather, Gordon Shaver, and he decided to retire,” said Palsson. “He ran a mom-and-pop kind of store, Currie Furniture. When it came time for me to decide to invest in that franchise, I knew I had to think outside the box, because as far as buying power, I knew we would need a little more lift. We talked to the President of Sealy, and he put us in contact with Mark Dufresne, because he thought it would be a good fit.
“I went to meet with Mark in Winnipeg and liked how he presented himself. He was personable, family-oriented and that made me feel comfortable. It didn’t feel like a big corporate store. I came back to Swan River and decided to partner with him.
“We held a sell-off from January to April, then did our renovations in May and opened up in June, and here we are,” said Palsson.
When it comes to helping customers find the perfect furniture for their home or a good quality bed to sleep in, Palsson prides her staff and herself on the efforts they put into helping the customer make the right choice. Although times have changed and some trends have too, today’s customer has a lot more options when it comes to buying furniture and appliances.
“I’ve been doing this for many years and I’ve found that you have to listen to what people want and guide them as best you can,” said Palsson. “Sometimes customers have an idea of what they think they want, and it’s our job to help them make the best decision when it comes to choosing furniture based on a variety of factors such as their flooring, colour of walls and what else is in their home. Because, at the end of the day, we want them to be happy with their purchase and make it a part of their home. Also, when people go into a guest’s home and they ask where they got it from, we want them to know it came from Dufresne.
“Back in the day, people went with white appliances, and now we see the demand for stainless steel and coloured panels. There are just so many options now. With a customer order program through our Canadian suppliers, we can order almost anything our customers want. We have a lot of selections of sofas to choose from.
“Even in our bedding area has grown over the years,” said Palsson. “Customers have come to realize how important a good night’s sleep is, so people are investing more in quality beds, whereas back in the day, people just bought a bed. Now, we have a Sleep Centre and we are all certified sleep experts, and we have to be to sell a bed with Dufresne. There is a training program our staff completes and it helps us to fit a customer to a bed. It’s no longer how many coils are in the mattress anymore, but it’s based on getting the customer in the right type of bed, whether it’s firm, soft, or medium. Buying a bed is a huge decision and is more of a need than a want.”
Palsson knew that in order to succeed in business, she would have to grow the business by expanding her customer area. She was instrumental in thinking outside the box and found ways to bring products to markets that had very limited options.
“We have a 5,000 trading area with Swan River as the hub,” said Palsson. “We always must be creative because to be profitable, we can’t just do deliveries in our area. I first started up in 2000, and from 2001 to 2005, we went to The Pas with trailers. We would set up in Opaskwayak Cree Nation and sell furniture.
“A lot of the elders don’t travel, and as we went up there, Dufresne got known. Our business grew from that and to this day, our trucks go up there regularly. We’ve gone into Saskatchewan and delivered as far as Yorkton. Then on the other side, we go as far as Winnipegosis. This has all been through getting our name out there and word of mouth. We had to get to know our customers because we don’t get the traffic like the big city stores do and as a result, we had to build strong relationships with our customers to earn their trust and have them keep coming back.
“The other part that helps the business is that we offer servicing here,” said Palsson. “Dean Henderson does all our service and has done it since we opened. The big box stores aren’t like that. Most customers have to send stuff away to be fixed or call a 1-800 number. Here at Dufresne, our customers call us and we look after them. That has been a huge advantage for us.”
Owning and operating a business in a rural northern community, Palsson knows the importance of developing and maintaining a strong relationship and trust with customers. With big box store competitors and less populated areas to serve, she has prided herself on establishing loyal returning customers and that has led to her success in business.
“We put a great emphasis on acknowledging the customer when they come into the store,” said Palsson. “My staff have all been trained to greet customers within the first couple of minutes. I base this on my own experience as a customer. I know if I go into a business and I’m not greeted right away, it just doesn’t feel right.
“Customers tend to go online to see what is available for options and I find are more educated about the products as a result of that. We never saw that before. After spending 25 years here, I find that every day is different and as staff, we have to grow. The consumer now is coming into the store knowing the product details, which means staff have to know it as well. If we don’t know all the specs on something, then we look into it for the customer.”
When it comes to finding the perfect staff, Palsson has been successful in recruiting and retaining employees. Many of her former employees got their start working for her at Dufresne before finding their career path. She has always treated her staff like family and still has strong personal relationships with many of her former staff.
“Over the years, I’ve had excellent staff,” said Palsson. “I’ve had some leave to try other things and then come back to work here. Others have stayed for several years before moving on to another career. People stayed because I treated my staff with respect and like family. It’s very much family-oriented here, because we all know each other’s family, kids, and have spent time together outside of the workplace. I still keep in contact on some level with the majority of my former staff. We’ve formed friendships that have continued long after their time here at Dufresne.
“One former employee who was instrumental in helping me develop the business was Lloyd Barabash. When we came over from Curries, we had to lay off staff and rehire. In that process, we hired Lloyd and he worked here for over 10 years. He was like my rock. I was around 34 years old at the time I started this business, and he gave me a lot of inspiration and guided me through things. He was wonderful to have as part of the team and his presence here is still missed. He still comes in and talks to us, and that is great.”
With this 25-year anniversary, Palsson is looking toward the future of Dufresne and finding a succession plan before she retires.
“Being a store principal, I’ve reached a point where I know I have to think about the future,” said Palsson. “I’m not ready to retire right now, and I plan to stay for a few years. In that time, I would like to find a successor. Someone I can work with to help grow the business and then take over.
“Dufresne has implemented a program with their store managers that is modelled after our store, which I’m very proud of. They hire a manager and depending on how they do, they are offered an opportunity to become a store principal. This allows them to have a financial stake in the business, instead of trying to buy into a franchise. I’ve always had a stake in the business and found it made me work that much harder over the years. It helped me to make this my store and do all the local community things I was able to do while in business.
“Every day is different, and I have to say, I’ve really enjoyed the people I have met through the store,” said Palsson.