After a two-year hiatus because of the COVID-19 pandemic, Canada’s National Ukrainian Festival (CNUF) made a triumphant return over the weekend with three fun-filled days full of Ukrainian culture and heritage.

CNUF president Kayla Gillis felt this year’s festival was fantastic, thanks in part to more people attending than expected.

“I would say that we had about 7,500 through the gates, which was phenomenal,” she said.

Gillis feels the festival’s success year-after-year can be attributed to the patrons who keep coming back.

“Bringing in that high caliber entertainment. Bringing in local entertainment, as well. But I really have to say it’s our patrons and our sponsors that really keep the festival going. So I hope they continue,” she said.

Gillis was at a loss to explain what made this year such a success, suggesting the lack of a live event the last two years had people eager to celebrate its return.

“I think it was just getting together and just having that enjoyment. Coming together as a community, coming together as a festival family again,” she said. “I know with recent events that happened in Ukraine, too, I know a lot of people have been coming just to show their support to our culture.”

Some of the Ukrainian families who relocated to the Parkland because of the war in Ukraine were in attendance and even stepped up to volunteer at the gates and in Baba’s Kitchen.

“It was really nice to see,” Gillis said.

Saturday’s Zabava was cut short because of rain, but it did little to dampen the enthusiasm of everyone in attendance. Gillis was appreciative of the support of the many people who volunteered during the festival. Of the 210 people who volunteered at the festival, Gillis noted an organization came from Brandon, as well as some from Saskatchewan.

“A lot of the service groups in town helped us out. So it was really nice to see that everybody came to help and support us,” she said.

But the plan for next year is to being in something new every year.

“Which brings in new attractions, which brings in new people that haven’t been here before,” Gillis said.

The war in Ukraine was on the mind of everyone in attendance, with one dance group performing a military style dance.

“That was a very special moment. There wasn’t a lot of dry eyes in the stands for that dance. But I think everybody is thinking about it and you could tell, everybody wants to make sure that everybody is happy and supporting (Ukraine),” Gillis said, adding there were a couple of groups were collecting funds, as well.

Planning is already underway for next year, Gillis thanking everyone who attended this year’s festival.

“Thanks to our supporters, contributors, everybody. It’s been phenomenal. It’s a little overwhelming, a little emotional. It’s been fantastic.”

Jayce Hawryluk is getting another shot in the big league.

After playing last season in the Swedish Hockey League and signing with the new 3ICE league in 2022, the talented and gritty forward has signed a two-way contract with the NHL’s Ottawa Senators, the same team that had picked him up on waivers in 2020 and subsequently dealt him to Vancouver.

Full details in this week's Roblin Review!

Most of Main Street was transformed into a pedestrian mall Saturday as the local chamber of commerce hosted its much-anticipated Street Fair and Summer Sidewalk Sale.

The event featured plenty of attractions including craft vendors and artisans, a farmers’ market, food vendors, plenty of activities for the kiddies, live music featuring just a small sampling of the community’s wealth of talented performers, and plenty of bargains courtesy of Main Street merchants.

Check out the picture page in this week’s Review.

The dedicated members of the Roblin Agricultural Society are more than a little excited to be hosting the fair and rodeo after a two-year break.

And while all the volunteers definitely benefitted from some time off, society president Ellen Arnott says they’re always looking for more.

Get this week's Roblin Review for more!

More and more stories are coming out about peoples’ potentially dangerous experiences with ER closures in rural and northern communities.

Many people are thinking that there’s no other choice than to accept emergency room closures in rural communities as the new normal.

Most think that way, until they experience an emergent situation that requires immediate medical care.

This was the case for Mandi Addis’ 11-year-old daughter Briar.

Check out this week's Roblin Review for more!

What started out as a fun and engaging way to host a parade has now turned into an annual tradition. Wally’s Place Boat Parade is hosting their third annual event this upcoming Sunday and there are some great prizes to be won.
“This is the third Wally's Place Boat Parade,” said Cheryl Antonio. “It started before COVID-19 and was an idea discussed amongst friends, including Mary Ann Greenwood, from Wally's Place, who in turn shared it with her son, Wes, who is Wally's Place owner. Wes helped organize and sponsor the event.
“The parade begins at Camper's Cove and follows the shoreline to Pioneer Bay. For parade entries, any kind of watercraft is acceptable, however kayaks and canoes may have a hard time keeping up to the pace of things.”
Participants who enter are encouraged to decorate to win a prize, but it’s not mandatory. The first place winner will receive $200/merchandise, the second place will get $100/merchandise and third will get $50/merchandise.

The family of Kendara Ballantyne is coming up on the third year of seeking answers and justice for what happened to her and it also marks their third year of not having her in their lives. The third Annual Remembering Kendara Memorial Walk is in the works and will be taking place on Saturday, August 6.
“For me personally, this walk brings out a lot of mixed emotions because it’s the third year and no arrests have been made,” said Lorraine Ballantyne-Packo. “One thing that I have learned to appreciate is the planning of this walk, and the efforts of the co-organizers and the community that comes out to support us on this journey.
“This is also hard, because the people who took Kendara from us are still out there. We don’t know if we’ve passed them on the street or been in their presence and that makes it really difficult at times.”
“The walk is mainly organized by family and we relying on donations and some fundraising to make this happen every year,” said Gloria Ballantyne-Packo. “We do reach out to different organizations and business for donations of time or items for the barbeque. Everyone has been extremely gracious and generous with what they give and how they help with the Annual Remembering Kendara Memorial Walk.

On Tuesday, July 19th members of the Hwy 10/60 gange were back at the junction and the truck turn off south of town.
This was our third trip this year. In June we collected 17 bags of garbage and 11 bags of recyclables. A month ago it was considerably less and this time only seven bags of garbage and two recycle bags were collected, so we are definitely noticing an improvement and urges everyonet to keep a container for garbage in your vehicle and dispose of it at home.
Let’s all do our part to preserve and protect Mother Earth. Our next scheduled clean up is September 1st. Mark it on your calendar and join us 9 am at the A&W parking lot.

Earlier this month, local band Low Budget Rock Star had to unfortunately, with heavy hearts, say good-bye to the ultimate band mate, co-pilot, captain, brainchild and mentor of the band, Richie Cudmore. Cudmore was fighting a battle against cancer and although he never gave up, his body just couldn’t keep battling it anymore.
Cudmore’s introduction to forming the band Low Budget Rock Star started out by connecting with Kennie Henderson. They built a lifelong friendship and musical connection.
“Over the years Richie had played in many bands and I was just an up and coming sort of musician,” said Henderson. “It was the summer of 2017, when I first met Richie, we had instant chemistry and it was if we were soul band mates. We were both playing with our old bands and ran into each other at the Alouette. We got talking about music and the tour my band was going on in Alberta, Saskatchewan and B.C. Richie told me if I ever needed a drummer to let him know. I told him I was going to hold him to that and that’s just what I did.
“Not even two weeks later, the day before we were to go on tour, our original drummer bailed. I was scrambling around and then it hit me that I needed to call Richie. At the time Richie was experiencing some health issues, but he wasn’t sure if he could go, because he had his first round with cancer. Sure enough and God willing it was meant to be, Richie was on board.

Editor’s note: This is the first of as two-part series that tells the story of one Sixties Scoop survivor from the Valley and the impacts this has had on her life.
The aftermath of the Sixties Scoop is still having a devastating impact on the families it tore apart. Even though there are settlement programs in place for survivors of the Sixties Scoop, there are very few resources and supports in place to assist them with counseling and legal matters surrounding their identity and family.
Former Valley resident, Susan Chief, was a child claimed by the Sixties Scoop, along with her siblings, and she has experienced the disconnect that resulted from it.
“I’m 68 years old now and I still can’t understand why they took these children to families in the United States, when there were homes all over Manitoba or Canada,” said Susan Chief. “It’s just unbelievable that they would take Metis and Indigenous children to be given to families outside of the country.
“There were 10 children in our family, but we had an older sister who passed away at the age of three. Our family moved from Duck Bay to Birch River, because my dad was a pulp cutter and he worked in the bush. We went almost everywhere, as a family, and my mom and dad never left us anywhere. They made sure we were with them.
“In 1969, we were in Birch River and I would have been about 13 or 14 years old, when we were all taken from my parents,” said Chief. “I still remember, to this day, exactly how we were taken. They pulled up in two cars and put all of us in, except for my oldest brother who ran into the bush when they came. They never bothered to find him. I didn’t know what was going on at the time, because both of my parents were home when they came and took us.
“My parents didn’t say anything, but I knew they were afraid of the authorities, because they had the control. I remember those days. I was very observant and listened to what was said. My parents looked at us with their heads down and had very sad faces as the workers put us into the cars. We didn’t know where we going or why. I remember being excited at first to be going somewhere in a car, but I didn’t know I wouldn’t be coming back or that it was permanent.”
The journey for the Chief children took them to an office in Swan River where they would be divided up into pairs and sent off to live with other people.
“They took us to Swan River and I remember going into this building that was by Merv’s,” said Chief. “It had stairs and an office. They had us lined up against the wall and they never explained anything to us about what was going on. My sister, Alice, and I were taken to my uncle on my dad’s side. I didn’t know where the other ones went.”
Eventually Chief found out where her siblings were placed. She was able to visit with them for a while, before the separation became too much to bare and the visits were ended.
“I later on found out that two of my brothers were in a foster home in Armstrong and the other two brothers were placed with a cop and his wife in a trailer court,” said Chief. “The other two sisters were placed in Swan River. I was able to go visit my siblings here and there. Then one day I wanted to go visit them, so I had to ask the social workers and was told no. When I asked why, they told me that when I went to see my siblings, they would cry and get upset when I had to leave. I never got to see my siblings again after that.
“I often asked the social workers if I could go see my siblings and the answer was always no. I didn’t even know when they were removed from Swan River.”
Chief was adjusting well to life with her aunt and uncle. She didn’t realize that both her sister and her would be removed from family yet again.
“I was happy when I was at my uncle’s because I knew I was with family,” said Chief. “We were there for about a year. During that time, a lady next door would invite me to go bake cookies with her and I would go. She would talk to me about things and invited me over without asking my aunt.
“She would tell me stuff about a lady in Benito that looks after girls. This lady had a girl staying with her that ran away and never came back. The girl was apparently from Camperville and I knew of her mom when I lived in Bowsman. The lady kept telling me how nice this other woman in Benito was. How she wanted more girls in the house and it would be great if my sister and I went to go live there.
“Next thing I knew, we were removed from my aunt and uncle’s place and taken to go live with that woman in Benito,” said Chief. “No one told me anything about this happening or even asked me if I wanted to go. I didn’t want to leave. We were placed with this woman and she made us work hard. We had to do all the garden work, do the laundry, iron out all of her clothes, bring them up to her, and clean the home. I missed my aunt, uncle, siblings and parents so much.
“I remember sitting in that garden and looking around, feeling so very lonely. I never felt loved or wanted. This woman would call me stupid all the time and for reasons I didn’t even know.”
Chief was bussed into Swan River to attend school. She made friends with other children who were foster children in the area and soon built up the courage to leave her foster home.
“We had to take a bus to the school in Swan River and a couple of times I wouldn’t go home,” said Chief. “I would take the bus to go with a friend, who was also a foster child, and go to Mafeking. I used to get into trouble for doing that, because I never asked permission, but I did it anyway. I did it a couple of times and eventually I wasn’t bothered at all.
“I wound up homeless in Swan River. I didn’t have any money, winter clothing or anything and no one came looking for me. No one wondered where I was, how I was doing and if I was safe. I hung out wherever I could and wound up staying with a friend and her mom. They were very nice to me and I was welcomed there.
“I was a lost person in Swan River,” said Chief. “I didn’t know where my parents were and at the time I thought Duck Bay was a great distance away from me, like thousands of miles away. I didn’t realize it was only an hour away.
“I eventually hitchhiked to The Pas with a lady I didn’t even know. I met random people and stayed with them. I was 17 then and eventually got a job at a hotel in The Pas and washed dishes. I was fortunate that I had some survival skills and was able to take care of myself.”
As time passed, Chief soon learned more about where her family was located. She never gave up looking for her siblings and eventually she was able to reconnect with some of them.
“I learned years later that two of my sisters were moved to Gary, Indiana,” said Chief. “Throughout my life, I always tried to find out what happened to my siblings and parents, and where they were. I would look in the phone books or I would call 411 and look for the last name Chief.
I didn’t know my siblings last names were changed, so I was looking under their original given names. I would call every one of them and did that for many years.
“My uncle was a social worker in The Pas and he told my dad he found one of my sisters. They told me this and we had to go get her. My sister Alice, who I was placed in the foster home with, was married and living in Kenora, ON. She, along with her husband and my mom, went to Gary, Indiana, to pick Mary up. She had a little 10-month-old boy and brought him to Winnipeg. Unfortunately, my other little sister who was with Mary in Indiana, had to stay behind because she was younger.
“Mary was apparently kicked out of her foster home when she was 14,” said Chief. “She was staying at some man’s place with her baby, when my family went to pick her up. It wasn’t long after that my other sister, Irene, who is the youngest out of all of us, came to Winnipeg by bus. We didn’t even know who we were looking for because we didn’t even know what she looked like. It was so strange because we stood at the bus depot and watched people get off the bus.
“We wondered when this young girl was going to come off the bus. Once almost everyone was off the bus, we saw this woman sitting there and she came out. It was Irene.”
This was just the beginning of Chief’s reconnection with her siblings. In next week’s edition, Chief’s story continues as she struggles to reconnect with her brothers and bring one of them home.