The DRCSS celebrated its Class of 2022, with its annual convocation, Saturday, which saw 106 students receiving their diplomas.

Sam Kopecky was this year’s valedictorian.

After opening his speech by thanking everyone for joining the graduating class in celebrating their accomplishments, Kopecky called Saturday’s convocation a day all students have been looking forward to.

“Today we are celebrating a new beginning. Today we are celebrating us,” he said. “In the past four years I’ve gained a lot of memories with all of you. Even through the rough times of COVID-19.”

Kopecky spoke about his favourite part of the curriculum when he entered the DRCSS in Grade 9, the vocational rotation.

“Others enjoyed different things in Grade 9, but I think what we have in common is that many friendships and memories were made within these walls,” he added.

Grade 10, he said, started out okay, but took an unexpected turn when with the school closing because of COVID.

“Life can be like that sometimes. You’re going along in one direction, minding your own business and then something happens to make you change direction. How you handle the unexpected is an important part of life,” he stated. “Grade 10 was cut short, but many good times were had. One of my favourite memories is when we almost blew up a battery on Mr. Cassavant’s lawnmower.”

Grade 11 did not start off that badly, Kopecky said, with classes only two days a week.

“But hey, at least we got to come to school,” he said, adding COVID restrictions made a lot of things more difficult. So many rules, so many masks, so much hand sanitizer. “As the year went on, I think we just tried to make the best of it. The best part for me had to be the Fridays I spent in automotive just working on little projects and breaking some bolts with a friend in engines class. Sorry, Mr. Fee,” Kopecky said.

Finally, there was Grade 12, which Kopecky said was the best year of high school.

“At least for me. The COVID restrictions came down and we were able to come to school every day. School seemed more normal. Countless memories were made both in class and out of it,” he said. “The road to get here has been filled with potholes. Some of those potholes have been small, but others have been life changing. As we go out into the world, we will experience more of life’s potholes. We can’t avoid them all.”

Kopecky concluded by thanking all the people who made the day possible and who made such an important impact on the students’ lives.

“We wouldn’t have gotten this far without our families, teachers and friends,” he said. “And always remember life’s a journey, watch out for potholes.”

Thanks to the generosity of local supporters, 42 students were recognized with over 100 scholarships totalling over $90,000.

A list of this year’s scholarship recipients will appear in the next edition of the Dauphin Herald.

Dauphin Kings goalie Carson Cherepak is taking his game to the next level after announcing his committment to play NCAA Division 1 hockey at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) in Troy, NY, next season.

The Winnipeg native enjoyed an outstanding year in the Manitoba Junior Hockey League, posting a 2.21 GAA and .921 save percentage while compiling a 30-7-0 record with the Kings.

Cherepak was named a first team all-star and received the Ed Belfour Award as the MJHL’s top goaltender. In the postseason, Cherepak was named playoff MVP after helping Dauphin win the Turnbull Trophy.

His stellar play continued at the Centennial Cup in Estevan, Sask., where he was named Top Goaltender and MVP of the national championship.

RPI plays in the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC).

In other Kings news, forward Jeriah Shantz was dealt to the Collingwood Blues of the Ontario Junior Hockey League in exchange for defenceman Anthony Bax.

Shantz scored five goals and 16 points in 49 games with Dauphin last season. The Fergus, Ont., native added two goals and five points in 15 playoff contests, helping the Kings win the Turnbull Trophy.

Bax, who stands six-feet, and weighs in at 192 pounds, had one goal and five points in 26 games with the Blues last season. He added one assist in 11 games with the Connecticut Jr. Rangers of the National Collegiate Development Conference.

The Parkhill, Ont., native turns 19 in November.

Collingwood also receives future considerations in the deal.

Above, Aiden Wojciechowski (6) of the Dauphin McMunn and Yates U13 baseball team gets into a run down against the Roblin Stars in the AA provincial qualifier at the U13 regionals in Dauphin, Sunday morning.

Roblin scored a 20-6 win to qualify for U13 provincials in Morden, July 15 to 17.

Below, Bohdi Bloomer of McMunn and Yates slides safely into home before Dauphin Reit-Syd Equipment’s Cameron Carefoot can make the tag in the A provincial qualifier, Sunday afternoon.

McMunn and Yates won the game, 20-19, to qualify for A provincials, July 8 to 10 in Winkler.

St. Paul’s Home Ladies Auxiliary recently held its final meeting due to its aging membership.

The group decided to dissolve at a meeting, Sept. 20, 2021, and the final meeting was held, June 13.

Established in 1981 under the guidance of Sister Jean Zemliak, the auxiliary was a volunteer organization dedicated to assisting residents of St. Paul’s Home by personal involvement with activities and fund-raising for items that would enhance the quality of the residents’ lives.

Betty Stephens, who was with the ladies auxiliary at the hospital at the time, was asked to assist in getting the St. Paul’s group off the ground.

“They asked her to come down and she came down and organized the first meeting. And that’s how it started, way back in 1981,” said auxiliary president Leana Compton.

The group’s major fund-raising event was the annual Strawberry Tea and Bake Sale, as well as a garage sale for two or three days in the facility’s parking lot, not to mention various raffles and donations. In total, the auxiliary raised more than $300,000 over the years, with more than $250,000 worth of items purchased.

“The other $50,000 would be to support birthday parties. We’d buy cake and ice cream. We always came to help the residents’ monthly birthday parties before COVID,” Compton said.

Auxiliary members also took residents to the Strawberry Tea and they assisted with bingos, as well.

There were only six or seven members to start, but Compton said they eventually averaged about 30 members, 20 of whom were active. By the end, there were only six active volunteers, with another six associated members.

“There’s just so many who are in their mid-80s, high-80s. They walk with walkers. And even the associate ones, they still want to get involved if we had a chance to do anything. But right now since COVID, we’re not allowed to come in this building at all,” she said.

Compton has tried to recruit new and younger members and, while there was some interest, none lasted more than a year or two. Compton noted all monies raised have been spent.

Among the items purchased over the years were Century bathtubs, an automatic wheelchair washer, Medichairs, wheelchair weight scale, blanket warmer, 34 electric bed and bedside table sets and overbed tables.

The dining room and activity area received couches, table and chair sets and window coverings.

Donations to the dietary department included dishes, dish heater and insulated food carts.

Items for the activity department included a smart board, karaoke machine, stereos, televisions, video equipment and sound systems and a bingo machine.

Recently the auxiliary furnished the St. Paul’s Visitation Room, a private room where families can get together for coffee and a visit or hold a special party for their loved one.

The group, Compton said, has always followed Sister Jean’s mantra, which states, “Let all that you do be done in love” (1 Corinthians 16:14).

Nine-year-old Meredith Cottrell patiently waits for a bite at the Intermountain Sport Fishing’s annual Kids Fishing Day, Saturday, while dad Keith and sister Rachel sit nearby.

The fish were slow to nibble on the bait provided to those who attended, but everyone was treated to hotdogs chips and a drink, courtesy of the Co-op Kids Club.

The Dauphin Junior Jazz Band opened an evening of entertainment, June 7, on the upper stage at Selo Ukraina.

The evening also included performances from the senior jazz band, as well as the DRCSS choir.

A countback was needed to determine the winners of the Dauphin Kings Par 3 Extravaganza, Saturday at the Gilbert Plains Country Club.

The team of Rob Bouchard, Anthony Wiens, Brad Carefoot and Seth Gares combined to shoot a nine-under 45 and beat the team of Steve Desroches, Jake Wiens, Dylan Mills and Brady Perrault on a countback after they also finished with a 45.

Two shots back was the team of Jordan Pernarowski, Mike Pernarowski, Ian Brezden and Blake Bartram.

In off-ice news, forward Kaden Bryant, who led the Manitoba Junior Hockey League with 36 goals and was second in scoring with 75 points, committed to the University of Ottawa Gee Gees of the Ontario University Athletics Association.

For lots more check this week's Dauphin Herald!

Dauphin’s Sully Fox will represent Manitoba at the U16 Western Challenge in Langley, B.C., July 1 to 7, after making the U16 provincial football team.

A center for the Dauphin Clippers football team, Fox attended several tryout camps before finally making the cut.

“The tryouts were pretty intense, but all the guys there were looking for a spot on the team,” he said.

Fox, 15, plans to work hard to crack the starting lineup and hopes to learn as much as possible, which he plans to share with his Clippers teammates.

“Trying to make us better, too,” he added.

Manitoba enters the four-team tournament as the fourth seed and will play its first game, July 3, against number-one seed Saskatchewan, while number two B.C. will play number three Alberta.

The bronze and gold medal games will take place, July 6.

In trying out for Team Manitoba, Fox was asked to play as a defensive lineman, a position he had never played before.

“And I really, really like it. It’s really fun on the D-line. So I think I’d probably prefer playing on the D-line,” he said.

Fox wishes to thank his coaches with the Clippers for their support in helping him to make the provincial team.

On May 14, the Rural Manitoba Football League held its east-west all-star game. Fox was joined by his Clippers teammates Matthew Zurba, Will Stinson, Damon Nepinak, Garrett Thompson, Scott Gower and Joseph Lopez on the East all-star team, which won, 16-8.

Lopez was then selected to represent the Manitoba rural all-stars against the Saskatchewan rural all-stars in the Challenge Cup, May 23, in Melville, Sask., which was won by Saskatchewan, 24-16.

It was not the colour they were hoping for, but both of Dauphin’s high school rugby teams came home from this weekend’s provincials with medals.

With no Winnipeg teams entered in the provincial tournament, the Westman High School Rugby League finalists earned an automatic berth into the championship game, which again pitted the Dauphin Clippers against the league champion Rivers Rams.

The Rams came away with a 34-14 win and the provincial title.

Clippers coach Aaron Miner said the Clippers, which was limited to only 15 players, played their hearts out.

Get the full rundown in this week's Dauphin Herald!